The Pittsburgh Pirates are making their way through the Spring Training roster cuts, and among those players is one of their top prospects, Termarr Johnson.
Johnson was reassigned to the Pirates’ Minor League spring camp after having a strong stint in Bradenton as a non-roster invitee. In 19 appearances, Johnson had a strong .368 batting average to go along with a .500 on base percentage and five RBIs. The 21-year-old second baseman is currently the number seven ranked prospect in Pittsburgh’s Minor League system.
In the midst of all of the top prospects that the Pirates have had over the past couple of seasons, Johnson has been somewhat overshadowed. The Atlanta native was drafted in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft, and has slowly but surely working his way up through the Minor League ranks. Last year he played exclusively with Double-A Altoona and did not disappoint. In 119 games Johnson slashed .272/.363/.382 and had nine homers with 35 RBIs. In 2024 Johnson was selected to the All-Star Futures Game.
Despite Johnson’s strong spring, his relegation to Minor League camp has not dimmed his spirit. In his last game in Bradenton Johnson did not play but did show immense support for his teammates, a testament to the kind of leader he’s become in the Pirates’ Minor League ranks.
“I’ve been around for a few years now, so I know these guys,” Johnson said. “My cheers for them are authentic. We talked early in camp about positive reinforcement and supporting the team. I’m just trying to be myself — energetic and enthusiastic.”
Since the day he was drafted, Johnson has done what he can to keep improving, and he carries that same mentality heading into this season.
“I’m just staying prepared and doing what I need to do to get on the field,” Johnson said. “I’ve been continuing with the work. I think that’s the most important thing.”
Johnson is currently projected to make his MLB debut in 2026 according to MLB.com’s list of the top prospects in baseball, but of course his path to the Majors is more complicated than ever. With the acquisition of Brandon Lowe, the Pirates finally put to rest on who their every day second baseman will be, an issue they’ve dealt with for the past couple of seasons. In 2025, Johnson played exclusively at second base but has played at shortstop previously in his career. However, Konnor Griffin is the heir apparent to the Pirates’ shortstop spot and may already be miles ahead of Johnson in his brief career.
While it’s not impossible for Johnson to make his MLB debut with the Pirates this year, his opportunities to do so are certainly slimmer than they have been in years past. Still though, Johnson is only gonna be 22-years-old this season and still has plenty of runway in front of him to finally takeoff once he makes it to the Majors. This offseason, he took a big step forward in conditioning and nutrition to come into camp healthier than he’s ever been, and has worked hard to continue to improve his approach at the plate as well.
Pirates’ manager Don Kelly was complimentary of Johnson and the work he’s done this spring in Bradenton.
“He continues to grow as a person and player and refine his skills,” Kelly said. “We’re definitely excited about what he’s been able to do this spring.”
Although his time in the Majors is being delayed once again, Johnson has certainly made a strong impression through this offseason and into Spring Training.
