Josh Pearce

Pearce is one of a number of young Cardinal pitchers who have experienced shoulder problems in the past couple of years. Pearce, who had a short stint in the majors in April, had shoulder tendonitis in June but came back to pitch reasonably for Triple-A Memphis. A former second-round choice who was moved from starting in 2003 after suffering rotator cuff troubles, he's been reborn as a reliever. A finesse pitcher, he found a way to strike out 31 in 30-plus innings last season. If healthy, he's destined to move up and down on the road between Memphis and St. Louis.

Pearce has taken control to new levels over the past two seasons, walking just 16 guys in 127 1/3 innings; he's allowed 21 homers in that time as well, so you see the problem. He needs an organization with patience, a big ballpark and some luck in his first ten starts. Josh Towers and John Stephens are just two recent pitchers with similar skill sets and lackluster performance, so be cautious.

Pearce got hit hard in three emergency starts last spring for the Cardinals before missing the rest of the year with a tear in his shoulder. He?s a finesse pitcher with good control, but given his injury and his struggles at Triple-A last season (28 hits in 20 innings, 7.65 ERA, despite a 17/3 K/BB ratio), we doubt he?ll make an impact in 2003.