Position: 2B
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 175 lbs
Bats/Throws: L/R
Born: 06/11/2004
High School: Mays HS (Atlanta, GA)
How Acquired: Draft 1st round, 4th Overall, 2022
Bonus: $7,219,000
40-man Roster: No
Rule 5 Eligible: 2026
Minor League Free Agency: 2028
Options Left: 3
Overview
Johnson was regarded by many as the best prep hitter in years. He didn’t play against good competition in high school, but he did very well on the showcase circuit. He got an 80 grade for his hit tool from some scouts. His approach at the plate is very advanced, and he has the bat speed and ability to barrel the ball that he could hit for good power. Defensively, his hands are good, but scouts consider his range and arm just average. The Pirates tried him some at short, but he’s likely to stick to second in the long term. Johnson’s speed is average. There’s some question about his height, but his hitting ability impressed observers so much that his size didn’t concern many people. In fact, to some observers he could have been the top pick in the draft. He was frequently associated with the Pirates. Johnson was rated somewhere in the top four or five by just about everybody, so he was never likely to sign below slot. In the event, he signed for $7,219,000, a little above the slot of $7,005,800. Johnson had a commitment to Arizona State.
In the early going as a pro, Johnson’s hitting has raised some concerns. In contrast to the scouting reports depicting a player with an exceptional hit tool, Johnson has had a lot of swing-and-miss. He doesn’t chase; in fact, his strike zone judgment is outstanding, leading to very high walk totals. But his approach has been oriented entirely to trying to pull the ball, leading to good power, a low average, high OBPs and a lot of swings and misses on pitches in the strike zone.
2022-23
Johnson got into nine games at the end of the FCL season, then moved up to Bradenton for 14 more. He played mostly short in the FCL and mostly second at Bradenton. He got off to a slow start at the plate, but started to hit shortly after he got to full season ball. In his last ten games, he went 10-for-27. His exit velocity was in the 90th percentile. Johnson played well defensively and committed just one error.
Johnson 2023 season got off to a late start due to a hamstring injury suffered during spring training. He joined Bradenton in late April and got off to a slow start. He had only one home run through May. In June he hit six, but batted only .209. He put up a 1.014 OPS in July and the Pirates promoted him to Greensboro at the start of August. He ended up with about the same numbers at both stops, including an .868 OPS at Bradenton and .842 at Greensboro. He did cut his K rate a little, from 26.7% at Bradenton to 24.2%. His walk rate was an extremely high 22% at both stops. Johnson finished with 18 home runs in 105 games. He turned 19 midway through the season.
2024
Johnson returned to Greensboro in 2024 and his approach at the plate continued to generate puzzlement. He got off to a bad start, hitting 194/375/284 in April, with a 28% K rate. He improved gradually over the next several months, generating a .797 OPS in June and .971 in July before slumping in August. The K rate declined after the early season and Johnson ultimately fanned in 22% of his plate appearances, a low rate relative to the Pirates’ organization, where extremely high K rates have become the norm. Johnson’s final line at Greensboro was 238/372/385, only a modest degree better than league average, although Johnson was almost two years below the average age. Johnson hit 13 home runs, ten of them after May. He continued to draw a prodigious number of walks, finishing second in the league. The Pirates moved Johnson up to Altoona for the last three weeks of the season and he started off 2-for-29. After that he went 9-for-19. His plate discipline stayed good, with seven walks and 11 strikeouts. In the field, Johnson played both second and short, a little more at second. He ran more often, stealing 22 bases in 27 tries between the two levels.
Stats
Transactions
July 17, 2022: Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1st round, 4th overall pick; signed on July 29.