For teenager Termarr Johnson, veterans like Rich Hill, 42, are best teachers at Pirates camp

Kevin Gorman | Monday, February 20, 2023 3:51 p.m.

Courtesy of Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates infielder Termarr Johnson takes part in a spring training workout Feb. 15, 2023, at Pirate City in Bradenton, Fla.

BRADENTON, Fla. — Rich Hill is the graybeard of the Pittsburgh Pirates, a 42-year-old left-hander pitching for the 12th team in his 18-year major-league career.

Monday’s first full-squad workout at Pirate City marked Hill’s 19th big-league spring training, an achievement he has learned to appreciate.

“What matters the most to me is wanting to get the most out of guys’ careers as a player,” said Hill, who signed a one-year, $8 million contract. “I know how short it is, and I know how fortunate I have been to be on the other end of longevity in this career. If somebody has a few years on you age-wise, they have more experience than you. Experience is a great teacher.”

Hill attended his first major-league camp when the youngest Pirates player here was still in diapers. That Hill will start his 19th season in the majors before Termarr Johnson celebrates his 19th birthday had the fresh-faced phenom flashing a smile and hoping to absorb some of that knowledge. Selected with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft out Atlanta’s Mays High School, Johnson is trying to make the most of every moment of his first major-league camp.

Termarr Johnson, the Pirates’ top pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, on his first big league camp. pic.twitter.com/nDmhPB48Zv

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) February 20, 2023

The drastic difference in age between Hill and Johnson — the oldest and youngest players here — represents the contrasts of this camp after the Pirates spent $30 million in free agency to provide a bridge until their top draft prospects have developed.

“There’s a lot of young guys here, including me, and we’ve got a lot of veterans here, so it’s a great environment,” said Johnson, who signed for a $7,219,000 bonus last July. “I’m happy to be here, ready to play baseball and ready to compete with these guys. … I’m the new guy on the block, so just learning from everybody has been amazing.”

That was Pirates manager Derek Shelton’s message to Johnson: Soak up this experience like a sponge, and have some fun while you’re at it.

“One of the things we told him was, just enjoy your first big-league camp,” Shelton said. “You’re going to look back 15 years from now and smile about it. Soak in all the guys who are here. That’s not just the guys we brought in but other major-league players, guys who have played who have come through the system and talked to him (and are) around him. And really just enjoy the process of major-league camp.”

Pirates manager Derek Shelton on the difference between the oldest and youngest players at major league spring training camp at Pirate City. pic.twitter.com/zRmsHmi3Go

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) February 20, 2023

Johnson doesn’t turn 19 until June 11, which makes him younger than Andrew McCutchen was for his first spring training with the Pirates. McCutchen laughed when asked about his memories from spring training 2006, months after he was selected in the first round.

“It’s funny, but I don’t remember much honestly. I just remember having so much energy and feeling like I needed to prove something to people,” McCutchen said. “When you’re a 19-year-old, I guess that’s the way you’re going to feel. I was a first-rounder and trying to prove myself to guys you don’t know.

“I just remember warming up and I was skipping and jumping as high as I possibly could. Then we were doing a little running, and I was trying to be first. I just remember some guys had smirks on their faces wondering what I was trying to prove. It turned out I didn’t have to prove anything. Just go out and play. Most guys were going through the motions trying to get ready for the season, and I was trying to make the team. But I was 19.”

On the flip side, Hill has learned how to pace himself over the years. Hill has played with a handful of Cy Young Award winners — from Greg Maddux in 2005 to Jacob deGrom in 2021 — in a career that has spanned 350 games, including 221 starts.

Shelton couldn’t help but notice how Hill has taken the time not only to watch the bullpen sessions of fellow Pirates pitchers but also his willingness to discuss the minutiae of mechanics and grips with them.

“The days he can be in and out, he’s been out trying to get to know his teammates,” Shelton said. “Watching that and being able to have conversations with him, when you have a veteran who not only performs on the field but invests early on in camp into relationships, I think that’s really important. Rich has done an unbelievable job with that.”

The Pirates are coming off back-to-back 100-loss seasons, yet Hill likes the early vibe of a team that added fellow veterans McCutchen, Carlos Santana, Ji-Man Choi and Vince Velasquez to a young core. After finishing last in the NL Central the past four seasons, the Pirates believe they should make a significant jump in the standings.

“I think expectations have a lot to do with that,” Hill said. “That starts Day 1 in every camp. There is definitely high expectations for this season. We’re understanding where things have come from the past to where we are right now. The expectation is extremely high to win. The urgency is there. We’ve felt it from the beginning of camp.

“That is something that’s really valuable, throughout teams that have won and have been successful throughout the season has been because that’s where it starts, really, Day 1 of camp. It’s not about one month into the season, when things don’t go the way you wanted and you have a panic meeting. It has to be established right away with teams that I’ve been on that have been successful. This is no different than most teams that have had tremendous success, as far as the beginning of camp, where our mindset is and where we’re going towards.”

Johnson arrived at Pirate City a week early so he could get acclimated to the Florida weather and spend extra time in the batting cage. He split last summer between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Bradenton, where he slashed .275/.396/.450 with four doubles, a home run and six RBIs in 14 games and drew almost as many walks (10) as strikeouts (13).

His offseason focus was on strengthening his core, as Johnson dropped from 196 pounds to 187 without sacrificing the muscle in his upper torso and legs. His biggest gains came on defense at second base, where Shelton noticed improvements in his footwork and arm stroke.

“Just the way the ball comes off his bat, it really shows why we identified him as the guy we were going to take,” Shelton said. “I have been able to see some of his defensive stuff. The improvements he’s made since we drafted him to now, you can tell that he’s really paid attention to it. … It’s really encouraging to see. It’s not easy. He’s an 18-year-old kid in major-league camp. I think we have to be aware of that. But he’s got some presence about him, which is a really cool thing.”

Johnson wants to make his presence felt. He knows he’s ticketed to start the season in the minors, but he’s hoping his talent and work ethic allow for a meteoric rise through the minors.

“It’s very important to me,” Johnson said. “For me, walking in here I’m making sure that I’m prepared to go in and do my work every day, work hard and show that I’m prepared to play baseball because if they call me and it’s time to come to Pittsburgh, I need to be ready, whether it’s this year, next year or whenever.”