Pirates Mailbag: Termarr Johnson enters critical season
In the 2022 MLB Draft, Termarr Johnson was seen as one of the best high school bats available. Due to his potential the Pirates selected Johnson with the fourth overall pick. Three years later, he is entering one of the most important seasons in his career.
Through the first 252 games of his professional career, the talented 20-year-old has 37 doubles and 34 home runs. He has shown flashes of being the bat that can carry an offense but has struck out 257 times. Entering the 2025 campaign, he has a .239 batting average in the minors and struggled in his first taste of Double-A action. The key this season for the Atlanta native will be consistency.
While Johnson is no stranger to tape-measuring home runs, he has not had a season where he has put it all together. Since joining the organization, Johnson has a 23.6% strikeout rate despite spending time in the hitter-friendly South Atlantic League. That is partly due to his tendency to work deep counts.
After finishing the 2024 campaign in Double-A, Johnson is only two calls from making his major league debut. The Pirates do have some options at second in the majors, such as Nick Yorke and Nick Gonzales, but they do not have the power potential of Johnson. That is what sets him apart.
Over the next few weeks, Johnson is a prospect that will be watched closely. So far in spring training, he is off to a solid start with a .250 batting average in two games. He won't start the season in the majors, but a hot start could set him up for a big 2025 campaign. That would be the best case scenario for the Pirates due to the lack of hitting prospects in the system.
If Johnson becomes the player he was projected to be on draft day, the Pirates future will be bright. His bat will have to be what carries him to the majors, and Pittsburgh is hoping that breakthrough starts this spring in Bradenton.
