Virginia two-way player Kyle Johnson will not pitch to begin the 2026 college baseball season, according to college baseball reporter Monty Taylor.
Johnson is currently managing a “minor kinetic chain issue” that is related to his pitching delivery.
The incoming Duke transfer will still play for the Cavaliers as a utility player. There is no timetable for his return to pitching yet.
Johnson and His 2025 Season with Duke
Before transferring to Virginia for this upcoming season, Johnson spent 2025 playing with the Duke Blue Devils.
When he was pitching, the two-way player had a 7.19 ERA in 41 1/3 innings of work. Johnson also had 43 strikeouts over that stretch.
His best pitching came during the NCAA Tournament in the Athens regional. In a start against the Georgia Bulldogs on May 31, Johnson had six strikeouts in five innings of work. He also gave up just three hits and two runs during that outing, which resulted in a 6-3 win for Duke.
That performance led to Johnson being named to the 2025 Athens Regional All-Tournament Team.
Johnson also had 52 at-bats with the Blue Devils last season. He had 12 hits, three home runs, 17 RBIs, and scored 10 runs himself.
Johnson was also a member of the 2024 All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Freshman Team.
Up Next for Virginia
The Virginia Cavaliers will begin the 2026 college baseball season on February 13 against the Wagner Seahawks.
The game is at Virginia’s home ballpark, Disharoon Park, in Charlottesville. The first pitch is at 3 p.m. EST.
WBN NCAA: https://worldbaseball.com/league/ncaa/
PHOTO: Duke’s Kyle Johnson (5) pitches during an NCAA regional baseball game against Georgia on Saturday, May 31, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
