• Full name Pierce William Johnson
  • Born 05/10/1991 in Denver, CO
  • Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 202 / Bats: R / Throws: R
  • School Missouri State
  • Debut 05/19/2017
  • Drafted in the C-A round (43rd overall) by the Chicago Cubs in 2012 (signed for $1,196,000).
    View Draft Report
    Few colleges can match Missouri State's recent track record for producing pitchers. Since 2001, the Bears have had three hurlers drafted in the first or sandwich rounds and sent a total of seven to the big leagues. The next in line is Johnson, who started to come on at the end of his sophomore season a year ago and ranked sixth in NCAA Division I in strikeouts per nine innings (11.5) in mid-May. The 6-foot-3, 180-pounder misses bats with a lively 92-93 mph fastball that reaches 96 mph and a hard three-quarters breaking ball. He'll mix in an 86-87 mph cutter a few times per game and has improved his feel for his changeup. While scouts have no quibbles with Johnson's stuff, they do have some concerns, most notably his health. He missed two starts this spring with a forearm strain, an issue that also cropped up in high school and during the fall of his freshman year. He wasn't as sharp in his first three starts after his layoff, which could drop him from the first round to the supplemental first. He also dislocated a knee while warming up in the bullpen last summer in the Cape Cod League, and missed much of his high school senior season after breaking his hand on a comebacker. Johnson has just decent control and command, though he has improved in both regards this year. He also can fall in love with his breaking ball a bit too much.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Draft Prospects

Minor League Top Prospects

Top 100 Rankings

Best Tools List

  • Rated Best Slider in the Milwaukee Brewers in 2014
  • Rated Best Slider in the Chicago Cubs in 2014

Scouting Reports

Career Transactions

  • RHP Pierce Johnson changed number to 38.
  • Atlanta Braves activated RHP Pierce Johnson.
  • Colorado Rockies traded RHP Pierce Johnson to Atlanta Braves for RHP Victor Vodnik and RHP Tanner Gordon.
  • Atlanta Braves reassigned RHP Pierce Johnson to the minor leagues.
  • Colorado Rockies traded RHP Pierce Johnson to Atlanta Braves for RHP Victor Vodnik and RHP Tanner Gordon.

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