Pirates sign 1st-round pick Termarr Johnson: Details

The Pittsburgh Pirates and first round pick Termarr Johnson are celebrating Friday after agreeing to a $7.219 million contract.

The Pirates have reached deals with 18 of their 21 selections in the 20-round draft. Johnson, a left-handed hitting shortstop/second baseman, is committed to play for Arizona State and is considered potentially the best pure prep hitter in decades.

Johnson, 18, grades extremely well at the plate by MLB Pipeline. He is graded with a 70-hit tool and 60-power tool along with a mark of 55 in fielding on a 20-80 scale.

Hailing from Hays High School in Georgia, the 5-foot-10 middle infielder was in contention to be picked No. 1 overall by the Baltimore Orioles before falling to Pittsburgh.

Self proclaimed as “the best player in the draft,” one scout told MLB Pipeline that Johnson is “a combination of Wade Boggs’ plate discipline and Vladimir Guerrero Sr.’s bat-to-ball skills.”

Being in the same sentence as two Hall of Fame hitters is an attention-grabber immediately for Pipeline’s No. 4 best prospect entering the Rule 4 Draft.

Johnson now joins a Pirates top prospect list with three infielders (Oneil Cruz, Nick Gonzales, and Liover Peguero) already in the organization’s top five.