Troy Johnston -- Prospect Evaluation

Troy Johnston, a 26-year-old first baseman in the Miami Marlins organization, achieved a 20/20 season (20 home runs, 20 stolen bases) in 2023, becoming the first Marlins minor league player since 2008 to reach this milestone. After being initially assigned to repeat AA Pensacola following spring training, Johnston made a deliberate commitment to improve all facets of his game, including defense and baserunning. Across both AA and AAA Jacksonville, he posted a .314/.404/.572/.976 slash line with 24 home runs and 20 stolen bases—a dramatic improvement from his 2019-2022 performance when he combined for only 32 homers and 11 steals over three seasons.

Johnston attributed his success to specific mechanical adjustments. He reduced his leg kick to improve timing against fastballs and achieve more consistent contact across all pitch types, which directly contributed to his power surge. For basestealing, despite not being naturally fast, Johnston emphasized the importance of proper jumps, timing, and learning from experienced baserunners like Nasim Nuñez and JD Orr.

At the AAA level, Johnston's performance stands out significantly. His .356/.423/.583/1.006 slash line at Jacksonville is 51% better than league average in weighted runs created plus (wRC+), even accounting for the International League's elevated offensive environment caused by the pitch clock, shift ban, and automated ball-strike system. Johnston remains focused on combining his improved power and speed with his established plate discipline and contact skills to earn a major league opportunity with the Marlins.

Troy Johnston is a 28-year-old left-handed first baseman/outfielder from Puyallup, Washington, who attended Gonzaga University and was drafted by Miami in the 17th round of the 2019 MLB Draft. His professional career effectively began in 2021 after missing 2020, during which he established himself as a consistent minor league performer with a .280/.365/.447 slash line, 82 home runs, and 83 stolen bases over 4,300+ innings at first base. He was named the Marlins' Minor League Player of the Year in 2023. Johnston started 2025 in Triple-A Jacksonville with a .252/.333/.439 slash line over 84 games before being promoted to Miami's MLB roster on July 29. In his rookie season, he appeared in 44 games (121 plate appearances), posting a .277/.331/.420 slash line with a 107 OPS+, 4 home runs, and 2 stolen bases, while recording a 6.6% walk rate and 21.5% strikeout rate. During Miami's September visit to Coors Field, Johnston went 3-for-7 with an RBI. According to MLB Pipeline's 2022 scouting report, Johnston is characterized as a professional hitter with excellent swing decisions and consistent barrel contact to all fields, with enough bat speed and strength for average power, though his relatively flat swing is geared toward line drives rather than home runs. The Rockies now control Johnston as a potential first base solution for 2026.

Troy Johnston represents an unexpected success story within the Miami Marlins' organizational framework. The 26-year-old first baseman/outfielder, selected in the 17th round of the 2019 draft from Gonzaga University, has significantly outperformed typical prospects from that draft position. In 2023, Johnston compiled impressive statistics across AA and AAA levels, batting .307 with a .399 on-base percentage and .549 slugging percentage while driving in 116 RBIs—a minor league-leading total. He also demonstrated athletic versatility by hitting 26 home runs while stealing 24 bases.

Johnston nearly departed the Marlins organization during the previous winter's Rule 5 draft, as Miami left him unprotected. However, no other MLB organization selected him in the draft process. This snub appears to have motivated Johnston, who has responded with exceptional spring training performance, batting .444 through limited Grapefruit League action while receiving time at both first base and left field. Despite the Marlins apparently being set at first base with trade deadline acquisition Josh Bell, Johnston's spring performance suggests he is approaching major league readiness.

Troy Johnston, a first baseman in Double-A Pensacola, has posted the most hits (27) in affiliated professional baseball over the last two weeks while playing at Blue Wahoos Stadium, a non-hitter-friendly environment. He has also hit 4 home runs during this stretch, displaying the ability to hit for power to all fields (left-center, left field, and right-center directions) without relying on pull power.

Johnston's strength lies in his exceptional plate discipline and ball-striking ability rather than raw power. His highest tracked exit velocity in the 2021 Arizona Fall League was 104.9 mph, comparable to established MLB soft-contact hitters. Defensively, he is limited but functional, having converted from outfield to first base in 2021 with only one error in 352⅓ innings.

After a disappointing first quarter in 2022 (.222/.313/.265, 57 wRC+), Johnston's recent dominance suggests his early season struggles were anomalous. Selected in the 17th round of the 2019 draft, he has led all Marlins minor leaguers in career hits. At 24 years old and slightly older than average competition, Johnston's elite pitch recognition and contact ability against upper-minors right-handed pitching warrant MLB attention despite his defensive limitations and modest power output.

Troy Johnston is a left-handed outfielder who attended Gonzaga and was signed by the Miami Marlins in the 2019 draft (17th round, $125,000 signing bonus). Standing 6'0" and weighing 205 pounds, Johnston demonstrates solid offensive production with a .324 batting average, .385 on-base percentage, and .459 slugging percentage across 111 at-bats. He is ranked as the Marlins' 18th prospect as of 2024.

Johnston's career path includes assignments across multiple levels of the Marlins farm system, including stints with the Batavia Muckdogs, Jupiter Hammerheads, Beloit Sky Carp, Pensacola Blue Wahoos, and Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. He was also selected by the Colorado Rockies on waivers but later returned to the Marlins organization. Johnston made his MLB debut on 07/29/2025 and was subsequently invited to spring training as a non-roster player.