Minor League Baseball

Colorado Rockies Prospect Lebarron Johnson Jr. Breaks Into Organization's Top 30

With Chase Dollander officially graduating to the big leagues, Lebarron Johnson Jr. has gone from the Colorado Rockies' fifth-round pick in 2024 to a top-30 prospect in their farm system in 2025.
Sam Connon|
June 1, 2024; College Station, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns pitcher Lebarron Johnson Jr (57) throws against Texas A&M Aggies utility Gavin Grahovac (9) during the second round in the NCAA baseball College Station Regional at Olsen Field College Station.
June 1, 2024; College Station, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns pitcher Lebarron Johnson Jr (57) throws against Texas A&M Aggies utility Gavin Grahovac (9) during the second round in the NCAA baseball College Station Regional at Olsen Field College Station. | Dustin Safranek-Imagn Images

In this story:

Colorado Rockies

Lebarron Johnson Jr. only just made his professional debut last month, and his career is already on the upswing.

MLB Pipeline released its updated rankings for the Colorado Rockies' farm system on Wednesday, as right-handed pitcher Chase Dollander had officially graduated to the big leagues. Beyond being ranked as the No. 25 prospect in baseball, Dollander was Colorado's No. 1 prospect, so his exit opened up a spot on MLB Pipeline's Top 30 rankings for the organization.

Johnson, a right-handed pitcher out of the University of Texas, debuted at No. 30. The Rockies picked Johnson in the fifth round of the 2024 MLB Draft.

The 22-year-old righty has made eight starts with the Single-A Fresno Grizzlies so far in 2025, going 2-2 with a 3.96 ERA, 1.319 WHIP and 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings. MLB Pipeline has Johnson's fastball and slider graded at 55, his splitter at a 50 and his control at a 40.

Among pitchers in the Rockies' farm system, Johnson is ranked No. 14. The only pitchers in Single-A or below ranked above him are his Fresno teammates, Brody Brecht and Jackson Cox, who came in at No. 4 and No. 27, respectively, on the updated Top 30 list.

Related MiLB Stories

  • SONG MAKES RETURN: Former Naval officer Noah Song got hurt soon after the Philadelphia Phillies returned him to the Boston Red Sox in 2023, missing all of 2024 with an elbow injury. CLICK HERE
  • JIMÉNEZ GOES DOWN: Former Chicago White Sox star Eloy Jiménez was just starting to get hot with Triple-A Durham when the Tampa Bay Rays ruled him out for at least a week with right Achilles tendonitis. CLICK HERE
  • SEAWOLVES WIN REBRAND: John Oliver announced earlier this month that he and his staff at HBO's "Last Week Tonight" would help rebrand a minor league team, drawing responses from 47 different clubs. CLICK HERE

Follow MiLB On SI on social media

Continue to follow our Minor League Baseball On SI coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook.

You can also follow Sam Connon on Twitter @SamConnon.

Published | Modified
Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a staff writer for “Minor League Baseball on SI’’ and other "On SI'' baseball sites. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for “UCLA on SI’’ and won awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for “New England Patriots on SI’’ and was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk. Follow Sam on Twitter @SamConnon.

Home/NEWS