After the 2002 Major League Baseball draft came and went without Johnson getting any calls, he just assumed he wasn't good enough to be drafted. He wouldn't have to wait too much longer, however, for the call.
A shortstop for the Eagles, Johnson was one of 50 Arizona high school baseball players invited to participate at the Super 50 All-Star game at Chase Field in Phoenix in 2002.
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Johnson signed as an undrafted free agent with the Devil Rays on June 29, 2002. He was ecstatic that someone was going to pay him to play baseball for a career.
"It was awesome. It's what I always wanted to do," he said.
Johnson just finished taking home Player of the Year honors for the Devil Rays' Double-A affiliate Montgomery Biscuits. He also led the Biscuits to the 2006 Southern League Championship.
Johnson put up career-best numbers despite being hampered by nagging injuries in the second half of the season.
A switch-hitter who now plays second base and bats leadoff, Johnson batted .281 with 15 homers and 50 RBI. He also posted a .335 on-base percentage and stole 20 bases.
His first full season in Double-A, Johnson finished fifth in the Southern League with 139 hits and was one of only six minor league players to reach double digits in doubles (21), triples (10) and homers (15).
Johnson was the starting second baseman for the South Division's midseason All-Star team, and shone with the glove committing the second-fewest errors (13) at his position in the Southern League and finishing third in fielding percentage (.976).
Johnson worked very hard on his defense, saying he practiced constantly to improve in the field. He said his glovework is far better now than it was just a few years ago.
Johnson may have saved his best performance of the season for when it mattered the most. In the championship-clinching win over the Huntsville Stars on Sept. 15, Johnson batted for the team's first-ever cycle, going 4-5 with three RBIs.
He singled in the first inning, tripled in the second, homered in the fourth and doubled in the seventh.
"I was really proud of that," Johnson said.
Johnson started out playing in Princeton, West Va. for the Devil Rays' Rookie League team in 2002.
Johnson said the jump in the level of competition from high school to Rookie League was amazing.
He said in high school, a team might face a pitcher who throws 90 mph once every 10 games or so. He said everyone throws 90 mph in the minor leagues.
Johnson talked about the challenges of moving up in the farm system. In Rookie League and Single-A ball, hitters see a lot of fastballs.
Most good hitters can hit a fastball. Johnson said Double-A is different because pitchers start throwing a lot more breaking balls (curveballs, sliders, etc.).
Most players who make it to Double-A have the ability to play in the major leagues. The pitchers there are much tougher than in the lower levels of the minor leagues. Johnson said hitters have to step up to that challenge.
"Anyone who can hit - you give them some time and they'll adjust," he said.
Johnson said the prevailing opinion is that if a player can succeed at Double-A, they most likely can play in the majors.
He has been told by the Montgomery coaching staff that it's very likely he will play for the Triple-A Durham Bulls in 2007. Johnson feels he's ready for the next step.
"I don't think I have anything left to prove in Double-A," he said.
Johnson will also join the major league Devil Rays for spring training the upcoming season. Fans can catch Devil Rays spring training in St. Petersburg, Fla. in March 2007.
Johnson's meteoric rise through the minors has been nothing short of sensational. This small-town guy could be playing for a big-league team very soon.
Johnson, 22, was born in Safford and now resides in Tempe with his fiancee Nicole. Their wedding is set for Jan. 12 in Scottsdale.
Johnson has a brother, Leon, who was also drafted by the Devil Rays. He was taken in the 45th round of the MLB draft in 2005.
Leon is currently on his Mormon mission in Russia.
Comments
10 comment(s)Ian Mccartney wrote on Sep 17, 2008 4:20 PM:
H. Craig Bradley wrote on Apr 18, 2008 5:29 PM:
Anonymous wrote on Apr 3, 2008 5:06 PM:
Vice Principal Kerry Wilson
Principal Robert Beeman
Superintendent Mark Tregaskes
Safford, Arizona Middle School
734 11Th Street
Safford, AZ 85546
Phone Number: (928) 348-7040
http://az.localschooldirectory.com/schools_info.php/school_id/3495 "
THS Alum 2004 wrote on Mar 20, 2008 4:21 PM:
P.S. Doug did it. "
blah wrote on Mar 6, 2008 8:29 AM:
colton wrote on Jan 29, 2008 2:02 PM:
saline wrote on Jan 29, 2008 2:01 PM:
Michael Jackson wrote on Dec 11, 2007 3:02 PM:
Jesu Christ! wrote on Oct 25, 2007 8:53 PM:
Daniel Connell wrote on Oct 23, 2007 9:35 AM: