Termarr Johnson pacing Pirates prospects at Arizona Fall League

By Andrew Destin / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Shortly after Termarr Johnson was promoted to Double-A Altoona, the Pirates’ top hitting prospect wasn’t sure yet whether he’d keep playing in 2024 via the Arizona Fall League.

What Johnson, 20, was certain about, though, was that he and his 5-foot-7, 175-pound frame were ready to keep going beyond his second full pro campaign in the Pirates’ farm system.

"Of course, of course,” Johnson said in September in Altoona. “I'm excited to play baseball. I'm a baseball junkie, so [I’m] excited to play baseball for sure."

The former No. 4 overall pick and second baseman has put on full display what makes him arguably the most prized position player in the Pirates’ farm system. Through six games with the AFL’s Scottsdale Scorpions, Johnson has posted a gaudy 1.091 OPS, thanks in no small part to his patience and keen eye.

In just 30 plate appearances, Johnson has drawn eight walks to complement his seven hits, three of which have gone for extra bases.

“I’m never going to give a pitcher an easy AB,” Johnson said in July. “I’m always going to do my part, and I expect him to do his part.”

Johnson’s .500 on-base percentage is tied for sixth-highest in the league, trailing other top prospects like Colson Montgomery. The autumn showcase has been an excellent one so far for Johnson, whose 2024 campaign was a bit of a mercurial one.

It wasn’t until late August that Johnson was promoted from High-A Greensboro to Double-A Altoona, and he endured his share of growing pains at both levels. For the second straight year, Johnson got off to a slow start in the batter’s box before finding his stride and ultimately earning a call-up to the next rung in the Pirates’ farm system.

“Obviously, everybody wants to be amazing, popping, having things fall for you early, quick and everything like that,” Johnson said. “But sometimes you’re not necessarily in control of that. All you can do is just go out there, play hard and try to help the team win.”

Johnson was pleased with the regular season he put forth, as the third-year pro felt he continued to learn throughout the campaign. That process has continued in the AFL as Johnson seeks to keep making the most of the opportunity at hand in the fall showcase.

Other notable performers

A first-round pick in 2019, Sammy Siani began living up to his potential during the 2024 campaign and has continued that trend in the AFL. The 5-foot-10, 195-pound outfielder is hitting a robust .455 with a home run, two doubles and a stolen base in five games.

Still just 23 years old, Siani is likely to start the 2025 campaign with Double-A Altoona. But, the former high school standout is finally on the right track after a few forgettable seasons to start his minor league career.

Following a solid season with Low-A Bradenton, Khristian Curtis has already made two appearances in the AFL. A 12th-round pick out of Arizona State in 2023, Curtis has yielded four earned runs across six innings while striking out four batters and walking three.

Curtis has already set a new career-high for innings (81 ⅓) in a season, which is noteworthy considering he did not pitch at all in 2023 after the Pirates drafted him. Assuming a clean bill of health, Curtis figures to make a couple more AFL appearances before being shut down for the rest of the calendar year.

While the Pirates released Wil Crowe in November of 2023, the other half of the Josh Bell trade in right-hander Eddy Yean remains with the organization. Yean, 23, was a key reliever at the back end of Altoona’s bullpen this season and even got a cup of coffee with Triple-A Indianapolis.

Yean has made three appearances for Scottsdale in the AFL but struggled a bit, compiling a 13.50 ERA so far across three appearances. He’s been tagged for six hits across two innings and recorded only one strikeout. But in 75 innings this season for Altoona and Indianapolis, Yean punched out over eight batters every nine frames.

Given his success this season with the Curve, Yean has a good chance to start the 2025 campaign in Indianapolis, and could make his MLB debut as soon as this coming season.