Johnson’s fastball also has improved. Heefner made the point that in the past, the talented righthander’s fastball was more of an offering with running action to it. However, as of late, the fastball has had more sinking action and developed into an even better pitch.
“The evolution in Ryan’s stuff has been pretty evident, and it all kind of starts with his fastball,” Heefner said. “He’s sinking the fastball better than ever this year. Last year, I thought it was more of a running fastball. His velocity has always been good no matter what, but this year, it’s just got a lot more sink to it.
“As a result, it’s allowed his other stuff to really play up more,” he added. “The sweeping slider was great last year, and if you look at the results of it, it was one of the best pitches in college baseball. He’s just executing it a little better this season. All of those things together equal a guy who’s really good at his craft.”
Overall, Johnson is having a monster 2024 campaign, which comes at a perfect time amid his draft year. He has a 1.93 ERA and has struck out 64 batters with only five walks. Yes, only five walks. Teams are hitting Johnson at a .193 clip. By comparison, as a freshman, the righty had a 4.30 ERA in 58.2 innings of work with just 47 strikeouts. And last season, the righty had a 4.43 ERA in 87.1 innings of work, along with 116 strikeouts and 22 walks. The difference between last year and this season? The OBA difference is 46 points lower.
Time will tell if Johnson projects as a starter or reliever at the next level. Mechanics and supposed stress on the arm suggests a reliever profile. But scouts, including our own David Seifert, feel like there’s plenty of potential for Johnson to start at the next level. If that’s the case, his stock could continue to soar as the draft continues.
For now, he’s firmly focused on helping Dallas Baptist reach the College World Series for the first time in program history, while also sticking to his ultra-unique approach.
“Man, everything about RJ is just different, but that is what makes him special,” Heefner said. “I think that’s really cool about him. He’s very comfortable with who he is and how he does it. A lot of guys go out there and think they must go throw exactly like Max Scherzer or someone else — RJ just wants to throw like RJ.
“A year or so ago we worked on a traditional leg lift delivery, but RJ thought his delivery helped him gain more momentum when he pitched, so that’s the route we went. He’s a coachable kid, but he’s also very confident and knows what’s needed for him to success at the highest of levels.
“That’s really what makes him one of the best.”
D1Baseball.com is your online home for college baseball scores, schedules, standings, statistics, analysis, features, podcasts and prospect coverage.
