3 reasons why a top Angels prospect is the pitching equivalent to Zach Neto

Prior to this spring, Ryan Johnson was probably best known to Angels fans as the only thing the team got back when they lost Shohei Ohtani. The compensatory pick from last year’s draft is now an unlikely contender to make the major league roster, without ever even throwing a minor league pitch. His explosion from somewhat curious draft pick to first team contender mirrors one of the Angels biggest recent success stories, shortstop Zach Neto, in at least three ways.  

Johnson and Neto got there by being as good as, if not better, than more familiar names

When Neto came up in April 2023, only nine months after being drafted, he did so at the expense of David Fletcher and ahead of Livan Soto and Andrew Velazquez. The former was a fan favorite who had been woefully underperforming, whilst the two latter players had major league experience but had been scuffling at the time. Meanwhile, Neto had gone from a .828 OPS that spring to a 1.347 OPS in Double-A, causing then-manager Phil Nevin to say: “Basically, he forced our hand.”

This spring, Ryan Johnson is pitching to a 2.57 ERA, lower than his two clearest rivals for a bullpen spot, Jose Suarez and Jose Quijada. His 0.71 WHIP is the lowest of all the Angels' pitching contenders, bar Kenley Jansen who has pitched less than half as many innings.

Through their first 7 innings, he’s given up fewer hits than Yusei Kikuchi, struck out more batters than Garrett McDaniels, and is the only one of the three yet to issue a walk. He’s clearly earning the extended look he’s getting.

Their styles are unusual, but effective

Much has been written about Neto’s leg kick. Scouts viewed it as a key factor when considering him in the MLB Draft. Although he has made adjustments to it since he debuted, it’s still a recognizable part of his game.

Part of what makes Ryan Johnson’s pitching action his own is actually the absence of a leg kick. His mechanics involve not much more than a step towards the plate, generating velocity more through a lightning fast, low-slot delivery. It led to 151 strikeouts in 109 innings over his final college year at Dallas Baptist, and now has him knocking on the door of the Show.  

They have matching chips on their shoulders

When Neto was drafted 13th overall in 2022, he talked about the “underdog mentality” he had developed after being passed over by both the MLB draft at high school, and by several universities. He played college ball at Campbell University, which is by no means a powerhouse program.  

"“All those teams that passed on me this past draft, it’s gonna hurt them at the end of the day”.  "

Zach Neto, Draft Day 2022

Similarly, Johnson’s fall to 74th overall surprised his college coaches, but hasn’t seemed to faze Johnson himself. He is laser focused on the mound, yet willing to show emotion when he gets a result. He shows every sign of wanting to prove himself through actions rather than words.

 And then there’s the Ohtani element. He addressed it in a recent Sam Blum article in The Athletic:

"“Not in my mind,” Johnson said when asked if he views himself as the Ohtani return. “But I’m sure other people will be able to see it that way.”"

Ryan Johnson via Sam Blum, The Athletic

They certainly will, but it wouldn’t be surprising if that became even more motivation for Johnson to succeed in his own way.

It’s still a longshot that Johnson starts the year with the Angels, especially with Angel Perdomo now in the mix. As with so many of their pitching prospects, there is debate about whether his future lies as a starter or in the ‘pen. While it would make a great story, there’s really no getting past the fact that he hasn’t thrown a single professional competitive pitch yet. However, just as a combination of underperformances by other players and his own talents made Zach Neto’s rapid rise inevitable, it feels as if Johnson’s time will come not if, but when he gets given even the slightest opening.  

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