Denver Native Pierce Johnson Is Coming Home, Veteran Reliever Signs With Rockies

Righthanded reliever Pierce Johnson, selected by the Cubs as the 43rd overall pick in the 2012 first-year player draft, signed a one-year free-agent contract with the Rockies, the team announced Tuesday.

The Denver native received a $5 million guarantee with incentives that is worth up to $750,000.

Johnson, 31, once ranked among baseball’s top pitching prospects with the Cubs, but was inconsistent in his initial big-league opportunities with the Cubs and San Francisco Giants, who claimed him on waivers in 2018.

He, however, drew interest from the Hanshin Tigers with his power arm, and spent a year in Japan, which led to him signing with the San Diego Padres.

In 2020-21, after Johnson signed a two-year deal that contained a 2022 club option, he filled a new in the San Diego bullpen. He compiled a 3.09 ERA in 78 2/3 innings, striking out hitters at a rate of 32.1 percent.

After having his $3 million option picked up by the Padres, Johnson suffered a forearm injury that limited him to 14 1/3 innings in which he had a 5.02 ERA.

The Rockies are looking for a rebound from Johnson in 2022, feeling his experience will help in the rebuilding of a bullpen that saw Carlos Estevez sign with the Angels, and most likely will lose Alex Colome on the free-agent market.

The Rockies are confident with Daniel Bard in the closer role, but know they need to revamp the middle-inning relievers to get the ball to Bard.Johnson is being counted on to provide bullpen stability along with righthander Dinelson Lamet and left-hander Brent Suter. The only other relievers on the Rockies 40-man roster with two years of big league expeirence are Lucas Gilbreath and Tyler Kinley, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery.

With the addition of Johnson, the Rockies payroll increased to $163 million, which is dwarfed by the spending spree of several teams this off-season, but is nearly $20 million more than the previous franchise Opening Day record of 145 million set in 2019.

And it could go higher in light of the Rockies need to add to their starting rotation, find a center fielder and add catching depth.