The Angels will break camp with righty Ryan Johnson on their big league roster, reports ESPN’s Jeff Passan. It’s a remarkable ascent to the majors for Johnson, a 2024 second-round pick who hasn’t pitched a single minor league inning. They won’t need to open a 40-man spot after releasing Mickey Moniak earlier today.
Johnson, who signed for a $1.74MM bonus last summer, pitched 11 1/3 innings during camp and allowed five runs on 11 hits and a walk with 10 punchouts — good for a 3.97 ERA. He’ll be the first player to skip the minor leagues entirely since Garrett Crochet, though Crochet’s rapid ascent came under different circumstances, as he was drafted and debuted in 2020 when there was no minor league season. Prior to Crochet, Mike Leake was the most recent player to skip the minors entirely.
The Angel are known for being the most aggressive team in the sport with promoting prospects. They typically focus on polished college players with their top picks, and Johnson is no exception. In 252 career innings at Dallas Baptist University, he posted a 3.46 ERA — including a 2.21 mark in 106 frames as a junior this past season. Baseball America ranked him seventh among Halos farmhands this year, noting that he had the potential to stick as a starter but could be a particularly quick-to-the-majors arm if moved to the bullpen. That’s indeed how it’ll play out, likely in faster fashion than anyone anticipated.
In recent years, the Angels have pushed Zach Neto, Nolan Schanuel, Chase Silseth and Ben Joyce through the minors in a year’s time or less. They were reportedly weighing a late promotion of last year’s first-round pick, Christian Moore, and while they ultimately held off, it’s plausible — if not likely — that he could debut at some point in the first few month of the 2025 campaign.
Johnson is the latest and most extreme example of the Angels’ rush-to-the-majors gambit. He’ll join a bullpen anchored by offseason signee Kenley Jansen and the aforementioned Joyce — baseball’s hardest-throwing pitcher. Others in the Angels’ bullpen include righties Ryan Zeferjahn and Ian Anderson and lefties Brock Burke, Angel Perdomo and Reid Detmers.
Looked good last night vs the Dodgers. Can’t wait to see him debut.
Nice. Probably a little soon. Angels bullpen finally has some power arms. Zeferjahn, Johnson, and Joyce can all hit triple digits. Burke can go 95+. Starting to look like an actual major league bullpen.
This! Finally some guys who can throw bb’s and I don’t want to jinx myself but maybe some solid starting pitching depth🤷♂️
@google. Not that long ago estevez was the only one with velo. It also ranked last in the mlb bullpen wise. Perry is atleast changing strategies and learning on the fly. With a broken number 2 pencil and a half worn eraser.
Well, that’s interesting.
The Angels are very dumb.
Recent history shows that to be the case. What’s very interesting here is will any of this work. The Angels are clearly zigging while others are zagging. By moving talent up the ladder quickly, they are maximizing youthful talent. We’ll see if this pans out.
It really doesn’t matter, they wasted Mike trout golden years to point that, him seeing playoffs isn’t going to happen with them
Not a single minor lg inning
With the exception of crochet that has to be very rare for a pitcher
Well he is a young, tall pitcher with incredible control, which is also incredibly rare.
Still a 90 loss team
Haters gotta hate
Let the parade of Angels are the worst, Angels have no idea what they are doing BLAH BLAH BLAH, tirades commence.
The Angels have a pretty good young core of players. Are they going to win the World Series this year? Highly unlikely, but I laugh at all the vitriol that spews from so many peoples comments here. Minasian sucks, Arte is the worst owner ever, Neto has no range, Schanuel has no bat speed, etc…
All I can say to you all wallowing in hatred is, I hope you stay in your own cesspool of hate. I, in the mean time, will enjoyi watching the team I root for play baseball at it’s highest level, and enjoy the game,
Go Angels!!!
I’m not sure the Angels do know what they are doing, but this isn’t an example of that.
This isn’t a first baseman with 1% bat speed. This isn’t a shortstop with 10% range. This isn’t a starting pitcher who needs to work on three pitches….this is a bullpen guy who needs two good pitches to do the job.
I don’t know if he has those two good pitches, but an RP does not have to be a fully developed player.
@halo11fan Nice to see you again Mr Negativity.
You just can’t help yourself. You tried to offer a little sliver of positivity, but had to douse it with your negativity.
BTW Halo11fan, I am still waiting to hear who else is clamoring to move Neto off SS. You’ve brought it up a healthy amount of time, and I have asked just as many times, who else is saying he needs to be moved off SS?
They were clamoring when he was drafted. And if people are not noticing the 10% range, then they are more clueless than I think they are.
Ten% range is unsustainable. Especially with this staff.
I hope to god they notice the obvious. If not, we really are doomed. They may not advertise they notice, but they notice.
And a 99 loss season and a very low ranked farm… are you kidding me? Seriously?
I have not read once thing about Neto being moved because he did not play well enough to warrant being a major league SS.
So I guess, you are admitting no one, besides you, is saying he needs to be moved off of SS right now.
Fangraphs scouting.
The Angels openly talked about Schanuel’s bat speed. They know about Neto’s ten percent range.
They are not that incompetent.
Ten percent range at short is unsustainable. Either that changes, or he has to be moved off short. I have complete confidence the Angels know this.
This is low hanging fruit.
@angelsfan. Brian Kenny said rengifo was a excellent defender according to advanced metrics and i spit out my beer. Thaiss was graded out better than o’hoppe two years ago. I just watch games and neto passes the eye test. He’s not simba but he’s not a hs player that busts out like moniak. Like halo suggests we draft
@rexhudler I think Halo is happiest when he has something to complain about. No one presently is saying Neto should be moved off of SS. That is why I like to poke the bear.
@angelsfan1972. I think it always starts at perry’s drafting and ends up that neto needs to move to 2nd. Not saying they are hall of famers but 2 out of 4 are solid starters, and will stick around til their free agency years.
@rexhudler I am not arguing that at some point, a few years down the line, he probably will get moved off of SS.
Eye test? The eye test would not allow the most avid baseball fan to tell the difference between a 225 and 275 hitter.
When all we had was an eye test, that was fine, but that was a long time ago.
I’m not that arrogant.
@angelsfan1972. There’s nothing in the pipeline to suggest. He’s going to get moved off ss. The only way is if they get a free agent, and i don’t see that happening. It’s like suggesting o’hoppe to first. I haven’t seen Paris enough to judge, but they were transitioning him off shortstop, so that’s probably the answer about neto they view him as the guy.
And there was nothing to suggest Eckstein should be moved off short. Ten percent range factor is not sustainable.
Don’t blame me for not dismissing data.
@halo11fan. You were talking about range. Just pointed out some flaws with the metrics. Kenny was saying rengifo is a excellent defender. Either way we don’t have anyone to replace him currently.
Thank you Rex for the civil response.
Baseball reference is algebra. Statcast is algebra, geometry and calculus. Rengifo’s range on statcast is 5%.
The Angels have a pitch to contact staff. A guy with 10% range at short is not sustainable. Something has to give.
Except for firstbase, which I can’t logically reconcile, I’m going to heavily depend on this data.
Centuries ago, the eye test told us the Sun revolved around the Earth. In baseball, fans think the eyes carry more weight hard evidence. I don’t. I’m not that arrogant.
By the way Rex…. I love this bullpen.
It’s nice to say that after years of banging the drum that our bullpen stinks.
You’re wrong. I’m much happier talking about the bullpen than Neto. But no one is talking about the bullpen, and today the bullpen doesn’t need fixing.
Infield defense needs fixing, and when people say it doesn’t, I’m not the kind of person who won’t challenge poor observations.
Rex, didn’t I say something nice about our pitching? There are no aces, but there is depth.
I think the staff is adequate. I think the bullpen is great. I think the outfield (including Soler), can be great, but a lot of that depends on Adell, and I don’t disrespect anyone who thinks Adell is a bust or anyone who thinks Trout can’t play 100 games.
Defensively, Rengifo and Neto are cringe worthy. People will ignore everything I say but that.
@halo11fan. I was banging the drum with you about rengifo’s defense. Well it’s the opener, and ready to see how it comes together. They won’t move neto over even if it’s needed. Who knows how his arm is after surgery. Just not anyone nipping at his heels to warrant it. I like the bullpen. The starting pitching is meh, but it could be like the royals, Soriano the ace of staff. The rest just passable 3-4’s.
Rex, the only thing better than opening day are meaningful late September games. I always take the opening week off.
@halo11fan. They better sweep the whitesox, but they had a losing record against them last year. I was hoping Paris was starting. Interested to see kikuchi, and If he’s going to stick with the Astros strategy.
@AngelsFan1972 After today’s game, I think the negativity was justified.
I blame Washington. He pitched a great first inning at that should have been it.
The Angels have tomorrow off, what the F is he pitching two innings for? Dumb.
I’m not impressed with Washington.
@steinbrenner. That was probably Washington there was no reason to bring in the guy that hasn’t pitched in the minors.
@halo i agree he was probably trying to build up his confidence against a crappy team it went the other direction.
No reason at all. Let him go home and celebrate his first big league outing.
Stuff like this makes me mad. No reason for it. I’m actually mad about that.
@halo11. Atleast the whitesox are undefeated and above .500. Probably the last time it will happen. I agree Washington does do some head scratchers. They had plenty of other guys to come in .
Why? This isn’t about seniority, it’s about the ability to do the job.
But what are the Angels basing that on? Ten innings of spring results? If you’re making meaningful decisions on small sample sizes, let alone those from March, you are… well, you’re the Angels.
You don’t trust the Angels to do the smart thing? I get it. But he looked pretty darn good last night.
I don’t have the analytics on this yet, and I will update my opinion when the data suggests otherwise, but I don’t treat the bullpen the same way I treat other positions.
No doubt he looked great. Every year dozens of guys look great in March. That’s the real issue here. Why would you ever decide anything based on spring training?
I can’t disagree with that.
I really hope they are basing this on something more tangible than Spring results.
I completely understand your skepticism.
Finally, the Halos bullpen looks formidable. Some nasty guys in there with filthy stuff who throw gas. It’s about time! Much like the days of Percival, Shields, Donnelly, K-Rod. Early to mid 2000’s. Wow, that was a good bunch.
Keep him away from Star Wars films and we’ll be good.
Underrated comment! I disagree, but still an underrated comment.
Thank you!
I was not expecting this move. But he’s looked fine in spring. Hoping there’s still room for Garrett McDaniels; if need be, DFA Quijada.
A few important observations for me …now that Suarez and Quijada are no longer in the clubhouse, they let Micky go today and that they put Detmers in the pen shows we are trying to finally field the best team…it is a sign of things to come. Hopefully…but a step in the right direction. Go Halos!
I would like to see White Sox GM Getz take a flyer on Mickey Moniak. I’m not sure of a time within the last 60 years that they had a player named Mickey!
@kroeg49
You must be fairly young. The Angels have had 2 coaches (ex players) in just the last 20 years named Mickey
Mickey Hatcher, Mickey Callaway
Off the top of my head I can name a few more
Morandini and Tettleton
Does John Milton Rivers count?
Mick the Quick
I loved watching him play. At lest the Angels eventually turned him into Brian Downing, and I really loved watching him play.
Micky Rivers sends his regards.
Excellent move in promoting Johnson. He’s great, he’s a madman.
Honestly, love the move. He’s not starting, the BP looks night and day better than last year, so if he struggles he can go get out figured out. It’s a low risk move.
They’re saving time and money by not bothering with the minors, and if he does well, they look like geniuses before other teams figure him out.
What, no mention of the fact that he was drafted with the Ohtani comp pick?