Pittsburgh Pirates: Shortstop Termarr Johnson drafted with fourth overall pick
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The first picks of the 2022 First-Year Player Draft were made Sunday night, and the Pittsburgh Pirates made use of their early-round pick to bolster their already-impressive farm system.
The team drafted shortstop Termarr Johnson with the fourth overall selection.
The 18-year-old was rated the No. 4 prospect in the draft by both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America and was tabbed by the latter as the "Best Pure Hitter," and tied for third for "Best Defensive Infielder" among high school players in this year's draft, according to a team press release.
MLB Pipeline also rated Johnson as the "Best Hitter" in this year's draft class. As a junior in 2021, the five-foot-10, 175-pound left-handed hitter was rated by Baseball America as the No. 1 high school draft prospect in the country after he hit .417 with eight doubles, five triples, nine home runs, and 23 stolen bases, per the team.
"We are thrilled to select Termarr with the No. 4 overall selection," said Ben Cherington, Pirates General Manager. "We held true to our board and selected who we believe was the best available talent. Termarr has the potential to be a middle-of-the-order impact bat at a premium position. He possesses excellent athleticism and equally as good bat-to-ball skills, giving him the potential to join other players to make a significant, everyday impact on future winning Pirates teams," Cherington added.
Pittsburgh also owns the No. 36 and No. 44 picks in this year's draft.
