Drafted in the 1st round (26th overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 1994 (signed for $520,000).
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Organization Prospect Rankings
Background: Johnson batted a lowly .182-2-17 in the South Atlantic League in 1995 but has shown steady improvement in the past three years. The higher he plays, the more his baseball skills overshadow his physical limitations. Strengths: Johnson looked right at home behind the plate in his big league debut in September. He has outstanding hands and a mature ability to call a game and work hitters. His calling card offensively is his excellent batting eye. Johnson has walked 211 times the past two years and has seen his power and average increase at the same time. Weaknesses: Johnson's throwing arm is borderline average at best. While his power and hitting ability have improved dramatically, his overall bat speed is just fair. The Future: The White Sox played very well in September with Johnson and fellow rookie Roberto Machado catching and are likely to continue that platoon early in 1999. The big question will be whether Johnson will be able to contribute enough offensively to hold the job with no Triple-A experience.
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Rated Best Defensive Catcher in the Chicago White Sox in 1999
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