Kyle Johnston Stats & Scouting Report

IP	444
ERA	4.277
WHIP	1.419
BB/9	4.581
SO/9	7.926

Full name Kyle Joseph Johnston
Born 07/17/1996 in Flower Mound, TX
Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 218 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Texas
Drafted in the 6th round (193rd overall) by the Washington Nationals in 2017 (signed for $226,100).

View Draft Report

Johnston has a plus fastball and he'll flash a plus slider, but his results have never matched his stuff because his well below-average control and command hold him back. The 6-foot, 225-pound righthander has always battled to be on time with his arm, but when he's on Johnston features a 93-95 mph fastball with armside run and a hard slider that flashes plus. Evaluators like his makeup as well. Scouts see him moving to the bullpen in pro ball in hopes that his control issues will be minimized and his already impressive stuff plays up even more in shorter outings.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Track Record: Part of the Nationals' heavy pitching class in the 2017 draft, Johnston signed for $226,100 after being selected in the 6th round. After a solid three-year career at Texas, Johnston posted a 3.43 ERA in 46.2 innings in the New York-Penn League last summer and progressed to high Class A Potomac in 2018.

Scouting Report: Johnston has always been lauded for his impressive fastball-slider combination, as both of the offerings grade out as plus pitches. His fastball features plenty of armside movement and sits in the low to mid-90s, with a hard, sharp slider that should be an out-pitch in the future. The knock on Johnston has always been his control, and he didn't take any steps forward in that area in 2018, walking 4.1 batters per nine innings in the South Atlantic League and 5.3 in the Carolina League.

The Future: The 6-foot righthander has been used as both a starter and reliever in his first two pro seasons, though he's performed much better in the latter role and could make a full transition to the bullpen soon, barring a step forward with a fringy changeup or with his strikethrowing.
The Nationals drafted Johnston in the sixth round in 2017 and signed him for $226,100 after a three-year career at Texas, where he started 57 games and posted a 3.31 ERA. Prior to the draft, scouts were enamored of Johnston's plus fastball--which sits in the low to mid-90s with armside run--and a hard slider that flashed plus potential. He also throws a changeup, which is currently a work in progress. What evaluators were not as keen on was his lack of control. Johnston has never walked fewer than 4.6 batters per nine innings over more than 225 innings between Texas, the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League and the short-season New York-Penn League, and he has routinely had issues syncing up the timing between his arm and his lower half. Most scouts see him as a reliever down the road, and Washington has already split his usage between starting and relieving. Johnston will likely continue to make starts in 2018, but there will be a priority on his innings and he could piggyback with a multi-inning reliever.

Draft Prospects

Johnston has a plus fastball and he'll flash a plus slider, but his results have never matched his stuff because his well below-average control and command hold him back. The 6-foot, 225-pound righthander has always battled to be on time with his arm, but when he's on Johnston features a 93-95 mph fastball with armside run and a hard slider that flashes plus. Evaluators like his makeup as well. Scouts see him moving to the bullpen in pro ball in hopes that his control issues will be minimized and his already impressive stuff plays up even more in shorter outings.

Career Transactions

Albuquerque Isotopes transferred RHP Kyle Johnston to the Development List.
RHP Kyle Johnston assigned to Albuquerque Isotopes.
Colorado Rockies signed free agent RHP Kyle Johnston to a minor league contract.
Buffalo Bisons activated RHP Kyle Johnston from the 7-day injured list.
Buffalo Bisons sent RHP Kyle Johnston on a rehab assignment to Dunedin Blue Jays.
Buffalo Bisons sent RHP Kyle Johnston on a rehab assignment to Dunedin Blue Jays.
Buffalo Bisons placed RHP Kyle Johnston on the 10-day injured list.
Buffalo Bisons placed RHP Kyle Johnston on the 10-day injured list.
RHP Kyle Johnston and assigned to Toronto Blue Jays.