Pierce Johnson

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Chicago Cubs #19 prospect in 2017
  A Colorado prep product and 2012 supplemental first-rounder, Johnson hasn't figured out a way to stay healthy. A partial rundown of injuries include: a forearm strain, blisters, knee and hand injuries from his amateur days, and hamstring, calf and lat muscle strains in the last year. A comebacker to the mound cost him time in 2016 when it struck his pitching arm. In short, Johnson couldn't stay on the mound as a starter, and he had run up a 7.75 ERA in July, when the Cubs pulled the plug on him as a starter. He finished the season in the Triple-A Iowa bullpen, stayed healthy and struck out 35 (while walking 13) in 22.1 innings in that role. Johnson's fastball can still reach 96 mph, and he pared down his repertoire as a reliever, focusing on his fastball and inconsistent, above-average slurvy breaking ball while shelving his changeup and cutter. He still struggles to pitch with conviction to his arm side with his fastball. The Cubs added him to their 40-man roster after the 2016 season, so if he can stay healthy, he could ride the bullpen shuttle to Chicago in 2017.
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  Ranked Chicago Cubs #12 prospect in 2016
  The Cubs hoped Johnson would have been ready to help in the big leagues by now, but he wasn't even ready for the start of the 2015 season. He threw four innings in big league camp and was one of the first players sent to the minor league side, then he strained a lat muscle in his back, adding to hamstring and calf strains that limited him in 2014. Johnson didn't pitch in a game that mattered until June at Double-A Tennessee but threw well when he was healthy, with a fastball that still remains a plus pitch at its best. At times he sits 92-93 mph and can reach 96 with his fastball, getting swings and misses with it and his much-improved changeup, which he has enough confidence in to double-up with it. He handled lefthanded batters better than ever, limiting them to a .473 OPS in 127 at-bats. However, at times his fastball dipped into the 89-90 mph range, and Johnson lacks a consistent feel for his curveball, which at times remains sharp and above-average but not often enough. He'll mix in a cutter, though less frequently when his curve is on. Johnson has a realistic No. 4 starter ceiling but lacks durability, throwing progressively fewer innings in each of his three full pro seasons. A healthy Johnson could push his way into Chicago's rotation in 2016, but the Cubs would settle for a healthy start at Triple-A Iowa.
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  Ranked Chicago Cubs #9 prospect in 2015
  Arvada, Colo., was the high school home for Johnson as well as Roy Halladay and Mark Melancon. Johnson signed in 2012 for $1.196 million. He has a long history of forearm trouble from his amateur days, when he also had knee and hand injuries, but has never had arm surgery. When he was disabled in 2014, it was due to hamstring issues and not his arm. Johnson walked eight in his second Double-A Tennessee start in 2014 and took a while to find his confidence thereafter. When he throws strikes, his stuff has proved hard to square up; opponents have hit .227 against him as a pro. Johnson's 90-94 mph fastball can reach 96 and has late life up in the zone. His upright finish can make it difficult for him to locate down in the zone, a developmental focus going forward. He throws both a hard latebreaking curveball with depth and sluvy shape in the low 80s and a short, cutter-like slider. He's learned to use his fringy changeup more effectively with pro experience. If Johnson puts it all together, he profiles as a No. 2 or 3 starter with two plus pitches and potentially above-average control. Chicago's 2014 ace, Jake Arrieta, had a similar (albeit more durable) career path, and Johnson's stuff is worth the wait. He could pitch his way to Triple-A Iowa with a strong, healthy spring training.
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  Ranked Chicago Cubs #6 prospect in 2014
  The lineage of lanky Colorado pitching products since Roy Halladay emerged in 1995 inspires confidence for Johnson. Big leaguers of recent vintage from the Rocky Mountain state include Brad Lidge, Scott Elarton, Luke Hochevar, Mark Melancon and Kevin Gausman. Johnson went from the Denver area to Missouri State, signing for $1.196 million as the 43rd overall pick in 2012. He finished his first full season in the high Class A Daytona playoff rotation. Blessed with a lean, athletic pitcher's frame, Johnson attacks hitters with two plus pitches. His fastball sits in the 90-94 mph range, touching 96. His breaking ball, a power curve in the low 80s, is one of the best in the system, and he has a feel for using it. The Cubs thought Johnson improved at using his inconsistent, but at times solid-average, changeup to both lefties and righties. He also excelled at locating his fastball to both sides of the plate. Johnson had health issues as an amateur but stayed healthy in 2013. Some scouts retain concern about his arm action, which may have contributed to forearm issues he had as a prep senior, but most scouts project him to have average to above-average control. Johnson and C.J. Edwards are the best pitching prospects in the Cubs system. They'll head to Double-A Tennessee in 2014 to see which one gets to Chicago first. Health likely will be the biggest factor in who wins the race.
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  Ranked Chicago Cubs #6 prospect in 2013
  Since 2001, Missouri State has had four pitchers selected in the first or sandwich round, and the Bears have sent seven arms to the big leagues. Their latest quality hurler is Johnson, who went 43rd overall last June and lasted that long only because he missed two starts with a forearm strain in the spring. His stuff looked as crisp as ever after he signed for $1,196,000. Johnson consistently works at 92-94 mph and reaches 96 with his lively fastball. His hammer curveball gives him two pitches that can get swings and misses. He also has a mid-80s cutter and a changeup that's coming along nicely. Johnson is more about power than finesse, and his control and command are no better than average at this point. He doesn't have a clean medical history, as he had forearm issues as a high school senior and college freshman and dislocated a kneecap while warming up in the summer Cape Cod League in 2011. The Cubs rave about his work ethic and character almost as much as they do about Albert Almora's. How thin is the system's pitching? Among Chicago prospects with a legitimate chance to pitch in the front half of a big league rotation, Johnson already is the second-most advanced despite having just 11 innings of pro experience. The Cubs will expedite his development, which could mean starting his first full pro season in high Class A.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #32 prospect in 2012 draft
  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.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Florida State League #15 prospect in 2013
  Johnson follows in a long line of Colorado prep pitching products, from fellow Arvada, Colo., native Roy Halladay and Brad Lidge through to Kevin Gausman and Mark Melancon. He finished his first full season with Daytona, teaming with C.J. Edwards and Corey Black to front the Cubs? championship rotation. Johnson has a pitcher?s frame, clean delivery and front-line stuff when he?s at his best. He combines power with solid pitchability. His fastball sits 91-94 mph, touches 95, and he showed the willingness to pitch inside with his heater. He also has a good feel for his solid-average changeup and showed a power curveball in the low 80s. The biggest question for Johnson is durability, as he had both knee and forearm problems in college and pitched just 118 innings overall this season. The Cubs were careful with his workload, particularly in the season?s final two months.
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  Ranked Midwest League #10 prospect in 2013
  In a Cubs system that has a multitude of impact hitting prospects but few pitching prospects, Johnson is one of the club?s best hopes for the future. ?He has the total package,? a third AL scout said. ?He has the changeup, the curveball and pitchability.? Johnson?s hard 81-83 mph curveball is his best pitch. He locates it well and has shown the ability to tighten it for strikes in the zone or make it bigger to get hitters to chase. His fastball, usually sitting 91-95 mph with average life, isn?t bad either. He can locate it to both sides of the plate. Johnson doesn?t use his changeup as much, but it?s an average pitch as well. His command was among the best in the league, earning him a mid-June promotion to the Florida State League.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #87 prospect in 2014

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Since 2001, Missouri State has had four pitchers selected in the first or sandwich round, and has sent seven arms to the big leagues. The latest product is Johnson, who went 43rd overall last June and lasted that long only because he missed two starts with a forearm strain in the spring. His stuff looked as crisp as ever after he signed for $1,196,000. Scouting Report: Johnson consistently works at 92-94 mph and reaches 96 with his lively fastball. His hammer curveball gives him two pitches that can get swings and misses. He also has a mid-80s cutter and a changeup that's coming along. Johnson is more about power than finesse, and his control and command are no better than average. He doesn't have a clean medical history, as he had forearm issues as a high school senior and college freshman and dislocated a kneecap while warming up in the summer Cape Cod League in 2011. The Cubs rave about his work ethic and character. The Future: How thin is the system's pitching? Among Chicago prospects with a legitimate chance to pitch in the front half of a big league rotation, Johnson already is the second-most advanced despite having just 11 innings of pro experience. The Cubs will expedite his development, which could mean starting his first full pro season in high Class A.