Braves Jim Johnson: A Good Fantasy Closer for Cheap

By Bill Pivetz | Mar 4, 2017

Mar 8, 2016; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Jim Johnson (53) throws during the third inning of a spring training baseball game against the New York Mets at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

The Braves spent the offseason rebuilding the rotation and adding offensive pieces. With an improved team, closer Jim Johnson has great late-draft value.

The Atlanta Braves struggled last season, finishing 68-93. The team is clearly in a rebuilding stage, but look to be trying to win now. With the rise of some of the prospects and the revamped rotation, they could win 10 more games. As a result, closer Jim Johnson could have late-draft value.

Johnson had a good season last year. He pitched in 65 games, finishing 36 of them. He posted a 3.06 ERA, 1.191 WHIP, and 2.71 FIP. Johnson also posted 20 saves, 9.5 K/9, and 2.8 BB/9. For a closer, the job is to get out of the ninth inning without any issues. Looking at his splits between pitching in the ninth and the other innings, Johnson did just that.

Entering the ninth inning, Johnson pitched in 34.2 innings. He posted a 1.56 ERA, 1.001 WHIP, and 39:8 strikeout to walk ratio. In the other innings combined, he had a 4.80 ERA and 1.400 WHIP in 30 innings.

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Johnson had his best seasons in 2012 and 2013 with the Baltimore Orioles. He posted back-to-back 50-save seasons with an ERA under 3.00.

While the Johnson of today is different than the one from five years ago but he can still be an effective closer.

The only person who could affect Johnson’s value is Arodys Vizcaino. He recorded 10 saves, 4.42 ERA, 1.629 WHIP, and 3.66 FIP in 38.2 innings. Vizcaino had a better K/9, 11.6, but also had a three times higher walk rate, 6.1 BB/9.

As I mentioned before, the closer needs to limit unnecessary base runners. Vizcaino had trouble with that. Walking 17 batters in 24.2 innings as the closer is not going to keep you in the role for long. If he can fix that in the Spring, then the Braves will have a nice one-two punch in the back of the bullpen.

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I think Johnson is the reliever to own out of the Braves bullpen. He has way more experience in the role than Vizcaino. Johnson has better control of the ball and can record 25 to 30 saves if he is given the job out of the gate. If the Braves go with a committee, then his value drops a bit.

I have Johnson has my No. 30 relief pitcher. He ranks outside my top 250, which makes him undraftable in standard 25-round drafts. Johnson is a great last-round pick. Saves can be found late.

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