The Los Angeles Angels have announced that right-handed pitcher Ryan Johnson, alumni of the Carrollton/DFW Storm and the HWSA c/o ’21, has secured a spot on their Opening Day roster, bypassing the traditional minor league development route. This makes Johnson the first player since 2020, and only the 24th player in MLB Draft history, to make the leap directly from the draft to the major leagues, .
Johnson, 22, was selected by the Angels in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft with the 74th overall pick, a compensatory selection following the departure of Shohei Ohtani in free agency. He played college baseball at Dallas Baptist University, where he delivered an impressive junior season, recording 151 strikeouts over 106 innings.
During spring training, Johnson showcased his readiness for the majors by posting a 3.97 ERA with 10 strikeouts and only one walk over 11⅓ innings. His fastball reached speeds up to 97 mph, complemented by effective use of his cutter, sinker, and slider.
Johnson becomes only the third player since 2001 to debut in the major leagues without any minor league experience, joining the ranks of Mike Leake (2010) and Garrett Crochet (2020). He is also only the second player in Angels history to achieve this feat, following Jim Abbott in 1989.
Of course, he is the first HWSA alumnus to achieve such a feat as well, and becomes only the 2nd former HWSA player to play at the major league level, joining Jake Smith, who played for the San Diego Padres in 2016.
Angels General Manager Perry Minasian expressed confidence in Johnson’s future, stating, “We believe he’s going to be a starter eventually… There’s tons of examples of guys who have broken in the bullpen and eventually started.” Initially, Johnson is expected to contribute out of the bullpen, joining a group that includes veteran closer Kenley Jansen and hard-throwing Ben Joyce.
Johnson’s rapid ascent underscores the Angels’ commitment to accelerating the development of their top prospects, a strategy evident in recent years with players like Chase Silseth (2021), Zach Neto (2022), and Nolan Schanuel (2023) all making swift transitions to the major leagues. As the Angels prepare for the upcoming season, all eyes will be on Johnson to see how he adapts to the challenges of major league competition without the traditional minor league seasoning. HWSA nation will be watching and cheering him on!