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Orioles Sign Chris Johnson To Minor League Deal

By Steve Adams | February 13, 2017 at 7:11am CDT

The Orioles announced this morning that they’ve signed veteran corner infielder Chris Johnson to a minor league contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training. The former Astros/Braves/Marlins is represented by Excel Sports Management.

Johnson, 32, spent the 2016 season with the Marlins after signing to be a platoon partner for left-handed-hitting first baseman Justin Bour. While that seemed like a solid on-paper fit, given the lifetime .314/.350/.436 batting line against lefties which Johnson carried into last season, he experienced some uncharacteristic struggles against southpaws. In 109 plate appearances versus lefties, Johnson hit just .212/.284/.333. His production against right-handers was very similar in 155 PAs, and he wound up posting a career-worst .222/.281/.329 batting line on the season as a whole.

The Braves inked Johnson to a three-year, $23.5MM contract extension on the heels of a BABIP-fueled 2013 breakout — a season that saw Johnson bat .321/.358/.457 (with a .394 average on balls in play). His bat took a significant step back in 2014, however, and he was traded to the Indians in a 2015 exchange of bad contracts. (Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher went to Atlanta in the deal.) Johnson will still earn $9MM this season — the final guaranteed year of that contract — which the Indians are on the hook for. If he makes it to the Orioles’ Major League roster, they’d only owe him the pro-rated portion of the league minimum, which would be subtracted from Cleveland’s obligation to Johnson. As it stands, though, he seems likely to be ticketed for Triple-A Norfolk.

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Baltimore Orioles Transactions Chris Johnson

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View Comments (17)
Post a Comment

17 Comments

  1. gorillatux

    8 years ago

    Former DIAMONDBACKS / BRAVES / MARLINS

    Reply
    • makaio6

      8 years ago

      Houston/Arizona/Atlanta/Cleveland/Miami

      Reply
      • randalgrichuk15

        8 years ago

        and now Baltimore

        Reply
        • Dookie Howser, MD

          8 years ago

          Future former-Oriole sounds about right

          1
          Reply
    • TheMichigan

      8 years ago

      Shouldn’t it be singular anyways? Not plural?

      1
      Reply
      • reflect

        8 years ago

        No but it should say “player” after that

        Reply
        • slimjones92

          8 years ago

          You’re both right, it should be one or the other.

          1
          Reply
  2. slimjones92

    8 years ago

    I don’t think his 2013 season could be referred to as a breakout after he had very productive seasons in both 2010 & 2012.

    Reply
    • reflect

      8 years ago

      Maybe you misunderstand and he just as an acne problem.

      2
      Reply
      • slimjones92

        8 years ago

        Lol

        Reply
  3. Pops

    8 years ago

    O’s gotta stop signing all these slick-fielding gold glove types.
    As a long-time devoted fan, I wanna see the O’s add a few more one-dimensional strike out artists.

    3
    Reply
    • Trevor 3

      8 years ago

      I’d love to have Mark Reynolds back. That guy was the strike out king. Or pop up jay gibbons.

      Reply
  4. nccubsfan 2

    8 years ago

    I enjoyed watching Chris capture lightening in a bottle in the 2013 season, when I lived in ATL. However, I also enjoyed watching Terry Pendleton jack him up against the dugout wall. CJ is a hot-headed AAAA player at best.

    Reply
    • jdgoat

      8 years ago

      I wonder if his new manager (his dad) will do that to him this year.

      Reply
  5. Ironman_4life

    8 years ago

    Is this dad the manager of Norfolk?

    Reply
    • rdmc86

      8 years ago

      Yes. Looks like dad got him a last minute pity job.

      Reply
  6. jonnyj

    8 years ago

    He got paid!!!

    Reply

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