Seth Johnson
An unexpected name, but someone Phillies fans should get to know is right-handed pitcher Seth Johnson. The Phillies acquired the 26-year-old, along with Moisés Chace, at the trade deadline from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Gregory Soto. While he was with Baltimore, Johnson was the team's No. 8 prospect and is currently the Phillies' No. 14 prospect.
Fans may remember the one start that he had down in Miami on Sept. 8, when he gave up nine runs in just 2 1/3 as the Phillies continued to search for a No. 5 starter, but he's a much better pitcher than the one we saw in South Beach.
Johnson recorded a 2.73 ERA in 25 starts across Double-A and Triple-A, but the thing that should excite the Phillies is how he dominated Triple-A in his brief time there. In five starts, Johnson recorded a 2.74 ERA and the opposition hit just .185 against him. He only recorded one start over five innings, but that could be credited to the fact that he had Tommy John surgery in 2022 and the Phillies want to monitor his workload.
That could also be how he helps the team this season. With Spencer Turnbull still in limbo in free agency, the Phillies could use another prototype like him; someone who can start a game if needed or come out of the bullpen as a long reliever if someone's start gets cut short, and Johnson could fulfill that role. While the newly signed Joe Ross has experience in this role as well, his numbers against the NL East are alarmingly eye-opening, and the Phillies may want to give their prospect another shot, which is something that general manager Preston Mattingly didn't hide when he joined The Phillies Show podcast.
"We're very high on Seth Johnson," Mattingly said. "I know he came up and struggled in a very short sample there in Miami but we think he's a guy who can help us going forward."
His repertoire consists of a 95 mph fastball with good life, an 87 mph slider that gets swing-and-miss, a mid-80s curveball that he uses to attack lefties, and a changeup that is still developing. With the starting rotation essentially locked up, a good spring training campaign may be all that Johnson needs to get onto the Opening Day roster as that Turnbull-type pitcher. However, even if he starts in Triple-A, don't be surprised when we see him toe the rubber this year.