Johnson (hamstring) is in the midst of the second week of his running progression, but the Pirates believe he may need longer than his initial projected recovery timeline of 4-to-6 weeks before he's ready to make his 2023 debut, Alex Stumpf of DKPittsburghSports.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Stumpf notes that Johnson hasn't hit any roadblocks in his recovery from the right hamstring strain he suffered in late February, but his season debut is expected to be pushed back further because the Pirates identified aspects of his running mechanics that they were wanting to fix. The No. 4 overall selection in the 2022 First-Year Player Draft, Johnson finished his first professional season at Single-A Bradenton and will either report to that affiliate once healthy or make the jump to High-A Greensboro.