BSN Exclusive: Inside DJ Johnson's journey from undrafted to Opening Day roster

The most nerve-racking moment of a whirlwind season for DJ Johnson didn’t even come in a game in which he pitched.

It wasn’t his debut or appearing in the postseason, he tells BSN Denver, but the first time he warmed up in San Francisco.

“I kept throwing the ball to the backstop,” he says, admitting that as anxious as he was to debut, it was probably serendipitous that he didn’t need to go into that particular game.

And it’s understandable when you know everything he went through to get to that point.

To say Johnson’s journey to the Rockies Opening Day roster was improbable only a few months ago would have been an understatement.

Before pitching 9.2 innings of nearly perfect baseball (one earned run) this spring with Colorado, Johnson had never even received an invitation to a major league camp.

Playing in the relative baseball obscurity of Oregon (only twelve players from the Beaver State played in the majors last year), Johnson was an undrafted free agent out of Western Oregon University – home to only one major leaguer, pitcher Dan Straily – and signed with Tampa Bay in 2010.

His stint with the Rays didn’t last long either. Same with a few other clubs along the way.

“It was definitely tough being an undrafted free agent,” Johnson confessed. “I definitely had to prove myself every year with six different organizations on my way up. I basically had to pitch with a chip on my shoulder to prove I could pitch.”

After a successful campaign at Double-A Hartford in 2017 where he’d pitch to a 2.80 ERA and 1.197 WHIP with the Yard Goats, Johnson became the closer at Triple-A Albuquerque in 2018, racking up 18 saves and earning a spot on the Pacific Coast League All-Star Team alongside fellow undrafted free agent Josh Fuentes and recently traded Mike Tauchman.

Hearing Johnson recall the story of getting the call to the majors is goosebump inducing:

“It was our last game of the season in Reno and Glenallen Hill, our manager, was giving the standard end-of-season speech. ‘Work hard in the offseason. Congratulations to the guys that are going up.’ And then, right before he closed the meeting, he said, ‘Oh. By the way, we have one more guy that’s going up.’ He said my name. I was in the back of the clubhouse and everybody turned around. Didn’t know what to do. It was amazing.”

Soon after came his major league debut on September 9 in a crucial divisional game against the Dodgers.

With the Rockies down 6-2, Johnson came on in relief after Los Angeles had already scored two runs in the fifth. With one out and a runner on third base, Johnson got the first two batters he’d face in his debut to strike out.

The details of Johnson’s perspective from that outing are blurry, at best.

“I ran in for the first time. It felt like I was running forever. That outfield is huge,” laughed the bearded 29-year-old.

“After getting out there, I remember thinking, ‘Don’t throw this one to the backstop.’ I remember after my first pitch, my first outing, the nerves calmed down a little bit and it’s just pitching at that point. There’s just a lot more people watching.”

Johnson would make enough of an impression during his seven appearances down the stretch for the Rockies that he was added to their postseason roster. The entire experience was a whirlwind for a guy who spent time plying his trade in such baseball outposts as Traverse City, MI, and Los Mochis in Mexico.

“It was definitely a rush, especially what we went through to get to that point: 163 in LA, flying to Chicago the next night, bussing to Milwaukee. It was just a giant buzz,” Johnson said with stars still filling his eyes. “Everybody was on a high from that.”

Though he didn’t get into the Wild Card game, the moments in Chicago were not lost on the Oregonian.

“That was awesome. Just being (at Wrigley), the atmosphere was amazing. It was win-or-go-home game. Watching Freeland pitching that game was incredible. Tony getting that big hit. I can’t even remember what inning it was.”

While footage of the dugout shows the Rockies wild celebration, there was another group of players who also celebrated Wolters’ moment of clutch.

“Our bullpen just erupted. Nobody could hear us because we were inside the wall, but we just erupted out there. Getting to ge a part of that playoff run that we had is something I’ll never forget. Seeing what those guys did the last 15 games was something special.”

In Game One of the National League Division Series against the Brewers, Johnson gave up a single to the first batter he faced before getting two strikeouts to end the threat. It helped keep the Rockies in the game, which they would tie with two runs in the ninth.

“Getting the call to go into the game and then getting out of a jam, that I got myself in, was awesome,” recalled Johnson of his first and only playoff appearance.

The entire experience was one that didn’t leave Johnson with a feeling that he had achieved his dream. On the contrary, it only made he want it more.

“That’s really what drove my offseason and what’s driven my Spring Training. Just doing everything I can to make this team, to be a part of that and help our team win.”

In the same breath, Johnson would also add, “I know we have a special club. Everyone in here is hungry and so am I. I just want to do everything I can to help this team win.”

Battling for a place in the bullpen this spring alongside the likes of Carlos Estévez, Yency Almonte and Rayan González, along with the inexperienced but electric Justin Lawrence, his ability to locate pitches separated him from the pack as Johnson walked just three batters he faced in Cactus League play.

While Johnson had a similar ERA to Carlos Estévez (0.93 to 1.08) and more than twice as many strikeouts (13-to-6) to the former Rockies closer, his ability to limit baserunners and pitch consistently with runners on base, as seen in his MLB debut and playoff appearance in Milwaukee, set him apart from his competition.

Many players can often use the cliché, “I just want to do whatever I can to help this team win.” 

When a player with the long, hard journey of DJ Johnson says it, you know that means a lot more than most.