Johnson (elbow) will open the year on the 60-day injured list at Triple-A Norfolk.
Though he's listed on Norfolk's roster, Johnson has never pitched above the High-A level. Johnson would likely head to High-A or Double-A if he can ramp up before the end of the minor-league season. The hard-throwing righty underwent Tommy John surgery last August just after getting traded from the Rays to the Orioles as part of the three-team trade that sent Trey Mancini to Houston and Jose Siri to Tampa Bay. Johnson has late-inning stuff if he needs to move to the bullpen due to durability issues. With the move to the 60-day IL, Johnson doesn't count against Baltimore's 40-man roster.