Let’s talk about Troy Johnston

I’ve been thinking about the player who might man first base for the Colorado Rockies in 2026. (See here, for example.) Mostly, I’ve been focused on available free agents, but perhaps it’s worth taking a moment to look at a player the Rockies already control, 1B/OF Troy Johnston.

In case you missed it, the Rockies claimed him from the Miami Marlins on November 5. The lefty made a mark on the Marlins’ farm system, so it’s worth taking a minute to consider what he might bring to the Rockies.

Can you start with some background?

Absolutely.

The 28 year old is a native of Puyallup, Washington, and was an all-around high school athlete (football, wrestling — which his father coached — and baseball). In an interesting twist of fate, he and former Rockies 1B Michael Toglia were both elite Washington baseball players.

After that, Johnston attended Gonzaga University. "My grandparents have lived four blocks away from campus since I have been alive, so I have grown up around Gonzaga,” Johnston said. “Also, I decided I wanted to go here because once I stepped on campus, I knew this felt like home and was the perfect fit for me." (He majored in accounting.)

He was drafted by the Miami Marlins in the 17th round of the 2019 MLB Draft.

How did he do with the Marlins?

Although he did not make his MLB debut until last season (more on that in a minute), he was successful as a minor leaguer.

Effectively, Johnston’s professional career did not begin until 2021 given that he missed the 2020 season. He finished his MiLB career with a .280/.365/.447 slashline, including 82 home runs and 83 stolen bases. Johnston also logged more than 4300 innings at first base. In 2023, he was the Marlins’ Minor League Player of the Year. Here’s what MLB Pipeline wrote of Johnston in 2022:

Johnston is a professional hitter who knows his left-handed stroke, repeatedly makes good swing decisions and consistently barrels the ball to all fields. While he has enough bat speed and strength for at least average power, his swing is relatively flat and geared more for line drives than flyballs that will carry over the fence. He is a gifted hitter, so he could make the adjustments to turn on and lift more pitches to produce enough pop to profile as a regular at first base.

He started 2025 in Triple-A Jacksonville where over 84 games, he slashed 252/.333/.439, including 12 home runs, 39 RBI, and 31 stolen bases.

On July 29, he was added to the Marlins’ 40-man roster and promoted to their MLB squad. Following that, on August 16, he hit his first home run off Brayan Bello.

When the season ended, Johnston had a slashline of .277/.331/.420 (107 OPS+) with four home runs and two stolen bases. Also worth noting is that when the Marlins visited Coors Field on September 17-18, he went 3-for-7 with an RBI. So not bad.

In 121 plate appearances over 44 games (so, small sample size), Johnston also earned a 6.6% BB% and 21.5% K%. He also had a 40.7% HardHit%.

Defensively, he played 108 innings at first for the Marlins and finished with 0 DRS, FRV, and OAA as well as 0 errors. So he was fine.

Can you tell us something interesting?

Sure.

First, he’s an advocate for mental health. As a sophomore at Gonzaga, he suffered a significant hand injury that forced him to examine his well-being.

"I think for a long time I was going undiagnosed, especially at a young age," he said. "Because at that point, it's like, oh, you're not being tough, you know, you get through it, you'll be alright, you know, to keep doing what you're doing."

When he signed with the Marlins, he gained access to their mental health staff, a move that helped his psychological well-being. He also uses structured breathing exercises as a strategy for dealing with anxiety.

In addition, he grew up in a “board-game-loving family” and he has been known to use escape rooms for stress relief.

Why did the Rockies claim Johnston?

That’s a good question because the claim happened just prior to the Rockies’ announcement that Paul DePodesta would become their president of baseball operations. So the whether DePodesta made the move is unclear.

But it’s a move that makes sense. Johnston would be an inexpensive player since he has less than a year of service time. Plus, he’s a lefty, which would provide a platoon with Blaine Crim should the Rockies take that approach.

Now compare his hitting profile with those of other Rockies starters, per FanGraphs:

Johnston’s Pull% is second only to Hunter Goodman’s. (The league average was 30.5%.) In addition, his LD% is second only to Ezequiel Tovar’s. (The league average was 23.9%.) Manager Warren Schaeffer has said the Rockies want to get players who are good on the base paths, and Johnston might meet that criteria.

Here’s how Johnston, Warming Bernabel (now with the Washington Nationals), Blaine Crim, and Michael Toglia compare based on their 2025 MLB numbers per FanGraphs:

The comparisons between Crim and Johnston are interesting: Crim has a slightly higher BB% while Johnston has a significantly lower K%.

Thomas Harding wrote earlier this week that prospect Charlie Condon would have every chance to win the starting spot out of spring training. I am skeptical that Condon will be ready. But with a platoon of Johnston and Crim, the Rockies would be in a position to clear a spot for the top prospect when the time comes.

Closing thoughts

Maybe the Rockies will be quiet until after the first of the year, but I won’t be surprised if we don’t see some action next week.

Paul DePodesta told Kevin Henry earlier in the week, “[N]ow we’re at a point where we’ve started to be able to make offers on major league free agents and putting together a real plan for how we can improve the roster for the 2026 season.”

It’s time to get moving because spring training will be here before we know it.

As always, thanks for reading —

Renee

Rockies Pitch is a newsletter that focuses on Colorado Rockies baseball.

Find me on Bluesky at @ReneeDechert.com or send an email to Renee@RockiesPitch.com