DUNEDIN, Fla. -- On Sunday, Blue Jays No. 1 prospect Nate Pearson pitched two of the most dominant innings you’ll see this spring. On Monday, the plan remains the same for his 2020 development.

General manager Ross Atkins hasn’t changed his tone on what that plan entails, and there’s no reason to believe the Blue Jays will, either. Development is still a priority, and all signs point to that happening in Triple-A Buffalo to start the season.

“Because of the upside, because of the potential for him to be a workhorse -- and we feel strongly that he will be -- we are entirely focused on his development,” Atkins said. “And a big part of his development is ensuring that he has every chance to increase that workload in a logical and smart way.”

Could that development happen in the Majors?

“I think it certainly could be a part of his progression at some point, but we set a plan in place with him and feel very good about that plan,” Atkins said.

This isn’t a new conversation in Toronto. Last spring, it was Vladimir Guerrero Jr. At the time, the Blue Jays wanted to continue Guerrero’s development in Triple-A, too, and for Guerrero to work on his “routines.” When Guerrero ran out of gas toward the end of the 2019 season, it became clearer what that word had actually meant.

Service time will be part of this equation, too. There may be no player type in baseball more valuable than a homegrown ace, which Pearson has the potential to be.

• 'Nate's a beast': Pearson flashes 100-mph heat

With Pearson, we can replace “routines” with “workload.” The big right-hander threw 101 2/3 innings last season after missing nearly all of 2018 with a broken arm, so while he’ll be close to a full workload this season, the Blue Jays can’t take the reins off just yet.

The 100-mph heat and snapping slider don’t change that equation, though, compared to your standard pitching prospect.

“It’s really more about his delivery than it is about his velocity,” Atkins said. “We’re not concerned about it because of how he does it. He’s a very efficient pitcher. He’s in really strong athletic positions. He repeats them. And that gives us less concern about the risk of velocity.”

The Triple-A International League does offer some challenges of its own. Pearson made three starts there at the tail end of 2019, but Triple-A still offers a pitching prospect the test of veteran hitters who have seen the best in the big leagues before. It’s something Pearson should handle with ease, of course, but even the best need something to work on.

By all accounts, Pearson’s routines are ready for the big leagues. He has a specific plan for his arm care that he adheres to strictly, so that shouldn’t be any hesitation when it comes time for Pearson to make his MLB debut.

“His passion for pitching is elite. His knowledge in and around advanced resources is elite,” Atkins said. “One of the many, many reasons we’re so excited about him is that he is most likely going to realize that potential just because of all those variables.”