The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed left handed pitcher Kris Johnson to a minor league deal, according to Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus. Johnson turned 27 in October, and has spent his entire career in the Boston minor league system. The former first round pick has spent parts of the previous three years at the AAA level, combining for a 6.09 ERA in 249.2 innings, with a 5.6 K/9, a 3.7 BB/9, and a 1.1 HR/9 ratio. Johnson was released last May after struggling at the AAA level with an ERA over 12. According to his Sox Prospects profile, he throws a 90-94 MPH fastball, a hard curveball, and a very good changeup, although he lacks consistency, especially in jams.
