Orioles’ Seth Johnson Has Stuff And Athleticism To Shine
Righthander Seth Johnson made his return from Tommy John surgery late last season to offer the Orioles a glimpse of the potential they acquired at the 2022 trade deadline.
This spring, the full scope of the 25-year-old’s talent was revealing.
“He’s just a very athletic, strong, explosive pitcher,” Orioles vice president of player development and domestic scouting Matt Blood said. “When he’s on the mound, he’s different in regards to the way he moves, and he’s cerebral, and he’s competitive.
“He’s got all that that you’re looking for, and then on top of that, he’s got weapons. He’s got a fastball that’s going to be, probably, mid 90s. It could be 93-96 (mph), and he’s got a slider, a curveball and a changeup, and they’re all average to above-average. And he throws a lot of strikes.”
Johnson is a converted shortstop who took to pitching full time as a junior at Campbell. He was talented enough that the Rays drafted him 40th overall in 2019. He was dominating at High-A Bowling Green in 2022 when he was shut down with elbow soreness.
Given that he needed surgery and the Rays were facing a 40-man roster crunch, Tampa Bay traded him to Baltimore in a three-team trade that sent Jose Siri to the Rays and Trey Mancini to the Astros.
Johnson impressed Orioles staff with how focused and determined he was in his rehab. He made five appearances across three levels upon returning in 2023, finishing at Double-A Bowie.
He’ll start there in 2024, with a few scenarios possible in the season ahead.
The Orioles could use this as a developmental year to build up Johnson’s arm strength and give him more innings. Or they could use his impressive arsenal in shorter spurts—perhaps in MLB because he’s already a member of the 40-man roster.
“He looks like a major leaguer with the way he goes about his business, and he’s got weapons,” Blood said, “and hopefully he helps the major league team this year.”
