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    Reds acquire Jordan Johnson in trade for Connor Joe

    Doug Gray 21

    The Cincinnati Reds have traded Connor Joe to the San Francisco Giants. In return Cincinnati will get minor league pitcher Jordan Johnson and an unspecified amount of cash. Joe’s stay with the Reds organization didn’t last a long time. He was selected by the team in the Rule 5 draft back in December. He’s had a solid spring, hitting .275/.356/.450 in 40 at-bats for the Reds thus far.

    Jordan Johnson is a 25-year-old right handed pitcher who has topped out at Triple-A in his minor league career. In the 2018 season he split his season starting for both Double-A Richmond and Triple-A Sacramento. His time in Richmond went better than his time in Sacramento. With Richmond he had a 3.63 ERA with 77 strikeouts and 31 walks in 79.1 innings pitched. When he arrived in Triple-A things took a big step backwards. In 58.0 innings he posted an ERA of 4.66. His walk rate jumped up to what was easily a career worse 5.1 batters per 9-innings pitched. And his strikeout rate also dropped to what was easily a career worse 5.7 batters per 9-innings pitched.

    The 6′ 3″ and 200 lb starter was a 23rd round draft pick by the Giants in the 2014 draft out of Cal State Northridge. He throws a 4-seam fastball, a breaking ball, and a change up. The change up is the best pitch of the bunch – potentially a plus offering. His fastball has been in the 92-95 MPH range in the past.

    This trade opens up a spot on the Cincinnati Reds 40-man roster. Connor Joe was on the roster, while Jordan Johnson is not. Rule 5 rules aside, having open a spot on the 40-man roster with Joe gone now really helps the Reds. They are going to need a spot for both Derek Deitrich and Jose Iglesias, who seem like locks to make the team. If they are also going to give a spot to Nick Senzel, they will need another spot for him.

    Doug Gray
    Doug Gray is the owner and operator of this website and has been running it since 2006 in one variation or another.

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    21 Responses

        1. That way they just get money back, this way they get a player and money. Sounds better to me.

        2. I would think LA knew that the Reds where going to trade him.
          If LA wanted him, they could have made an offer.

      1. I was thinking if they offered him back they might have been able to work a deal for him. I am thoroughly unimpressed with the return they got from Frisco. I like Connor Joe and he could be an asset in the future.

    4. Excellent news. It doesn’t look like he had much of a chance of making the team and I’d hate to give anything back to a team especially named the Dodgers. We got at least a player back. Now our roster is almost sealed. The last remaining question is what is going to happen to Robert Stephenson?

      1. I wonder if Bob Steve and Wisler both make the team initially as they go with only a 4 man rotation early on? Gives them a chance to see them both and have more depth in the bullpen like Bell wanted. Also, keeps from exposing them both to waivers without more time to see where Bob Steve is at. I imagine having a little more time to see him in real game action more help determine what to do next.

      3. Simon, especially the Dodgers? The Reds have become the Dodgers East. When Wood is healthy, 16% of the Big League Roster were acquired from the Dodgers. The minors have an exDodger at practically every level (Marinan, Zabala, Clemintina, Ibandel and I am probably forgetting someone). The Dodger scouting department is going to play a huge role in the Reds organizational success in 2019.

    5. if Joe turns out to be even a half way useful MLB player then I’m really gonna wind up hating this Dietrich guy (or insert name of any below average relief pitcher here)
      Joe, a 1st round pick who seems to be very talented was, in my eyes, the best Rule V pickup we’ve had since Josh Hamilton.
      (btw, this pitcher Johnson…..his stats are horrible…..to put it mildly)
      What a waste.

      1. I wouldn’t worry about it. There is maybe 1 or 2 rule 5 draftee a year that becomes even an average major leaguer and most of those guys aren’t useful in their first year. I can almost guarantee that Dietrich will be better in 2019.

      2. The pick-up of Kyle Farmer made the Joe selection irrelevant. I had a feeling Joe stood no chance of making the team when he never went behind the plate in a game. His ability to catch seemed to be his big plus when he was drafted. The fact Farmer can create roster flexibility because he has options and Joe not made him even more attractive.

        With a good fastball and change Johnson might be well suited for a bullpen role.

        1. My thoughts exactly on both points. Johnson’s best chance at impacting this roster is the bullpen, and Joe was picked up before Farmer was acquired in the trade with the Dodgers. That roster spot on the 40 man was needed, and the Reds now got some kind of value in return at least.

    6. A 4.66 ERA actually isn’t bad for the hitter-friendly PCL. While the peripherals look bad, there is a shock factor for newcomers built in for that league. Worth a flier for a possible late-bloomer. Has touched 99 and sits 93-96. (FB/CB/CU).

    7. I like this a lot especially considering we have Farmer and Ervin as younger talents producing and they have options and Dietrich > Joe. We basically turned our Rule 5 pick into a guy we don’t have to keep on the 25 man roster all year. This reminds me, I really hated the Rule 5 pick not too many years back that was a catcher and we kept for so long and then let go. What was his name?

    8. If the Giants don’t want to keep him, do they have to offer him back to us first?

    9. Read an article and watched a video from the Kansas City Star. Homer Bailey had a lights out performance in his last start for the Royals and he has made their starting rotation. His velocity was back to his normal healthy standards. Maybe the change of scenery has done him some good and taught him a little humility at the same time.

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