Tyler Johnson Stats & Scouting Report

IP	77
ERA	4.325
WHIP	1.416
BB/9	4.909
SO/9	7.597

Full name Tyler James Johnson
Born 06/07/1981 in Columbia, MO
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: S / Throws: L
School Moorpark College
Debut 09/06/2005
Drafted in the 34th round (1,013th overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2000.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Johnson was in spring training with the A's in 2005 as a major league Rule 5 pick, but he failed to make the team and was returned to the Cardinals. A year later, he emerged as a critical piece in the team's postseason run. Of the eight outs he got in the National League Division Series, six were strikeouts. He finished with 12 strikeouts in 7 1/3 playoff innings. After he baffled the Padres with his breaking ball, some hitters called it one of the best in the majors. The hard, late-biting pitch has been called both a slider and a curveball, and it has a natural loopy break to it. The pitch is hard to pick up and harder to hit by lefties, who hit .221 against him. He throws an average fastball that peaks in the high 80s. Johnson, sporting the clubhouse's most colorful tattoos, was labeled as loopy as his breaking ball before he returned to the Cardinals from the A's with his laid-back vibe still intact, but tempered by focus. The organization has learned how to handle his personality and believes his attitude keeps him from dwelling on bad outing. He had his bouts with wildness and was erratic late in the season, even against lefties. St. Louis has Randy Flores and Ricardo Rincon with more experience in the same role, but neither has as good a pitch as Johnson's, so he will continue to share the specialist job and may branch out to a less lefty-specific role.
The Cardinals gambled that Johnson wouldn't be able to stick in the big leagues by leaving him off their 40-man roster after the 2004 season, and the gamble paid off. The Athletics took him in the major league Rule 5 draft but couldn't keep him, so he came back to St. Louis after spring training and made his big league debut in September. Johnson's goofy, carefree attitude has always made him a hard player for coaches and managers to figure out. It makes them wonder if he's focused, yet it also means he won't wilt in pressure situations and can put bad outings behind him quickly. He has the stuff to be an effective lefty reliever, with a natural, loopy curveball that grades as a plus-plus pitch when he locates it well. He complements the curve with an 88-91 mph fastball with late tail, and he throws both pitches with a natural, effortless motion. The Cardinals didn't gamble by leaving Johnson off the big league roster again, and with Ray King gone he'll have a golden opportunity to win a bullpen job in spring training.
The Cardinals are thin on lefthanders, especially after including Chris Narveson in the Larry Walker trade, yet they gambled by not protecting Johnson on their 40-man roster this offseason. The A's pounced on him in the major league Rule 5 draft because they think he has a good chance to stick on their big league club--if he doesn't, they'll have to put him on waivers and offer him back to St. Louis for half his $50,000 draft price--and he immediately becomes the top lefty reliever in a system bereft of southpaws. Johnson led Cardinals minor leaguers with 15 wins in 2002, his first full season, before moving to the bullpen in 2003. His 4.79 ERA last year was deceiving, because he struggled with shoulder soreness early before posting a 2.04 ERA over the final three months following a short stint on the disabled list. Johnson thrives with a sharp-breaking curve, which grades as a plus-plus pitch. He sets the curve up with his 88-91 mph fastball, and rarely uses his mediocre changeup as a reliever. He needs to do a better job with his conditioning. Unless he bombs this spring, Johnson should break camp with Oakland.
Johnson's amateur career stalled after high school, as he struggled to stay on the field because of academic difficulties. But he has moved quickly as a pro, leading the system with 15 wins in 2002 and jumping to Double-A in his second full season. His transition to the bullpen went as smoothly as could be expected. Johnson's curveball is the best breaking pitch in the organization, a true 12-to-6 bender that can be electric. He seemed happier and more confident in relief, and he likes knowing he could play every night. His fastball, which can touch 90-92 mph, and his improving changeup are solid-average pitches at times. Johnson is still maturing and learning how to pitch. He didn't show up in shape for spring training, and that resulted in nagging injuries and took away from his fastball, which was at 87-88 mph last season. Johnson's changeup is in the rudimentary stages. Johnson should move up to Triple-A to start 2004 and be ready to contribute to the big league bullpen later in the year. With his stuff, he should be able to be more than just a lefty specialist.
Johnson earned a scholarship to Washington State out of high school, but academic problems kept him off the field there and later at Moorpark. National crosschecker Chuck Fick stayed on him, though, and Steve Gossett, a Cardinals scout who had been the pitching coach at Cal State Northridge, worked with Johnson while he was ineligible in junior college. It paid off in a breakthrough year at Peoria, as Johnson was among the minor league leaders in wins and ERA. Johnson's true 12-to-6 curveball is the best breaking pitch in the organization, and when it's on it's unhittable. He also throws an 87-88 mph fastball that touches 91 mph and has great life, with natural lefthanded tail. He has a loose arm and already knows how to beat hitters from either side of the plate. Something you might expect to be a weakness--maturity--no longer is. Johnson wants to pitch in the big leagues. He needs to improve his changeup, especially his arm speed when he throws it. He missed a few starts last year with biceps tendinitis, but it's not a long-term problem. Johnson is just learning to pitch, but the early returns are exciting. He at least looks like the next Steve Kline, but he might be much more than that. The next step is to Palm Beach.

Minor League Top Prospects

Johnson tied West Michigan's Chad Petty for the MWL lead in victories with 15, thanks to a curveball that most observers respected as the best in the league. It's a 70 pitch on the 20-80 scouting scale because it has a true 12-to-6 break and he can put it where he wants. His curve moves so much that it's difficult to catch. "He may need to come up with another name for this thing," Sheaffer said. "It's that wicked." Johnson pitches off his curveball with a high-80s fastball that has late tail. He'll need to make some adjustments to remain a starter. One scout predicted his upright delivery could lead to shoulder problems. He tips off his changeup by slowing down his delivery.