Long-forgotten Cleveland outfielder randomly resurfaces in weirdest callup of 2025

On Sept. 9, 2021, Daniel Johnson went 0-for-3 for the Cleveland Indians in what looked like the last MLB action of his career. 

Johnson, who entered the year as Cleveland’s No. 21 prospect per MLB Pipeline, was hitting just .221 through 30 games after his showing against the Twins, which was the biggest reason why Cleveland elected to send him down to Triple-A while the team was playing out the string in 2021. 

His time with Cleveland came to an end a little less than a year later when the team traded him to the Mets for cash considerations — a move that started a sequence where Johnson entered the baseball wilderness. 

He emerged from that wilderness on Wednesday when he received an MLB callup from the San Francisco Giants in one of the odder transactions of the season.  

Long-forgotten Cleveland outfielder randomly resurfaces in weirdest callup of 2025

This will be the second straight season where Johnson earned MLB playing time, as he played in one (1) game with the Orioles last year and had one (1) at-bat. 

Johnson made his MLB debut with Cleveland during the COVID-shortened 2020 season and went 1-for-12 at the plate in five games. 

He ended up appearing in 30 games in 2021 and hit .221 with four home runs, though he did have a couple of misplays in the outfield that sullied his ability to get into the lineup. 

Cleveland designated him for assignment that offseason and signed him to a minor league contract. He was then sent to the Mets halfway through the season. 

He then saw minor league time with the Nationals, Padres and Orioles, and signed a contract with the Giants in May after opening the season in the Mexican League. 

He hit .429 with five homers and three doubles in 41 plate appearances in the Mexican League prior to joining the Giants, and was slashing .272/.312/.534 in Triple-A with six homers and five steals.

The Orioles added him to their MLB roster last year for one game after Cedric Mullins had an injury scare in September, but sent him back to Triple-A once Mullins’ injury cleared up. 

He’s joining a Giants team that’s in the midst of a roster reshuffling. 

Along with promoting Johnson, the Giants designated LaMonte Wade Jr. and Sam Huff for assignment, signed Dominic Smith to a major league contract and promoted Andrew Knizner from Triple-A. 

Wade had been a lineup mainstay for the Giants since he joined the club in 2021, but he was hitting just .167 in 50 games this year which led to his DFA. 

He’ll be replaced the veteran Smith, who has hit .246 across 693 MLB games. He spent last season with the Nationals and Reds and recently opted out of his minor league deal with the Yankees. 

While Johnson never got a chance to find his footing during his time with Cleveland, it seems like he’ll get a chance to make an impression with the Giants.