Noted Pittsburgh Pirates Prospect Termarr Johnson Listed as 2025 Bounceback Candidate

Johnson played for Team USA at the Premiere 12 Tournament this offseason and Baseball America says he can get his shine back in 2025.

Pittsburgh Pirates first round pick Termarr Johnson and fourth overall player drafted in the 2022 MLB Draft on the field before the Pirates host the Philadelphia Phillies at PNC Park. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates have several young and exciting players in their system heading into 2025.

At the major league level, all the talk is about Paul Skenes, of course. The reigning National League Rookie of the Year is a favorite for the National League Cy Young Award in his first full season and could easily make his second All-Star Game in as many seasons.

It's not just Skenes, though, as he's also flanked by young flamethrower Jared Jones. Top pitching prospect Bubba Chandler is also barreling down on the major leagues.

One prospect you haven't heard as much about lately is second baseman Termarr Johnson, who has seen his prospect star fade recently.

According to MLB Pipeline, Johnson was the No. 26 prospect in baseball in 2023 and the No. 44 ranked prospect in 2024. This year? He's down at No. 83.

However, Baseball America thinks he can re-find his form, listing him as one of 15 bounceback prospect candidates this season.

Johnson was billed as one of the best high school pure hitters in decades ahead of the 2022 draft, but that hasn’t been the case through his first two full pro seasons. The 20-year-old has still flashed his power that propelled him into the No. 4 overall pick by slugging a combined 23 home runs in two seasons. Johnson’s plate discipline is quite good, especially against fastballs–he chased heaters just 16.3% of the time in 2024 compared to 30.3% against breaking pitches–but he needs to find the right balance of passivity and impact in 2025.

15 MLB prospects who could bounce back in 2025 📈 https://t.co/o6fpVxki0c pic.twitter.com/yDXjOwIlGC

— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) January 31, 2025

Johnson hit .237 in 2024 with 15 homers and 54 RBI. He actually had 18 homers in 2023, giving him 33 home runs over those two years. He's also a stolen base threat, swiping 22 bags in 2024.

According to MLB Pipeline, he's projected to make his major league debut for the Pirates in 2026.

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