Angels make surprising decision on pitching prospect

The Los Angeles Angels are known for rushing their prospects to the majors. Pitcher Ryan Johnson took that fast track to another level.

Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that Johnson will be part of the Angels' Opening Day roster despite never pitching in the minors. The last pitcher to debut without a minor-league appearance was Garrett Crochet with the White Sox in 2020, although the pandemic may have played a part in that decision. Mike Leake of the Reds was the last pitcher to debut while skipping the minors in a normal season.

Johnson earned that spot with a strong showing in spring training. He posted a 3.97 ERA and a 1.059 WHiP over his 11.1 innings, striking out 10 batters with one walk. Although he had been a starter in college, Johnson will begin his major-league career as part of the Angels' bullpen.

The 74th overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, Johnson was selected with the compensation pick the Angels received when two-way star Shohei Ohtani departed in free agency. Johnson and Ohtani crossed paths on Monday, with Johnson striking out the Angels' former star.

Ranked as the Angels' seventh-best prospect per MLB.com, Johnson has the type of arsenal that could lead to major-league success despite his lack of professional experience. His fastball typically sits in the low 90s but can reach triple digits as needed. He has a plus slider that he used nearly half the time but still missed bats 51% of the time. Johnson also has a cutter, curve and changeup to round out his five-pitch mix.

Where Johnson excels is with his control. Despite a relatively odd delivery, he has proven capable of throwing all of his pitches for strikes. He had an impressive 5.41 strikeout-to-walk rate in college and showed that same command during spring training. 

Johnson could end up as an important part of the Angels' pitching staff regardless of his role.