“D.J. is going to be responsible for the development and communication of our pitching philosophy and initiatives throughout the organization, from the Major League team all the way down through our minor league affiliates,” General Manager Nick Krall said in a press release. “There isn’t a more respected pitching coach in baseball. We think our pitchers and player development staff are going to be very receptive to his vision because he isn’t afraid to merge old school methods with new school analytics and ideas.”
The Reds hired Johnson in October of 2018. He has coached on manager David Bell’s staff for three seasons.
Baseball America named Johnson its Major League Baseball Coach of the Year in 2019. The Reds led the National League in strikeouts (1,552) that season and again in 2020 (615 in a 60-game season).
In Johnson’s first three seasons, the Reds have ranked fourth (4.18), second (3.84) and 10th (4.40) in the league in ERA. Overall, they have a 4.22 ERA, which ranks seventh, in the last three seasons.
About the Author
