DOB: 9/28/78, Age: 23, Height: 6’1’’, Weight:
205, Bats: R, Throws: R. Acquired: Brewers - Drafted in the 2nd Round of
the 1999 Draft (Seminole State JC, OK). 2000 Stats: (Rookie - Ogden) .316
AVG, 98 AB, 7 2B, 0 3B, 10 HR, 2 SB, 14 BB, 20 K, .419 OBP, .694 SLG. 2001
Stats: (High-A - High Desert) .254 AVG, 370 AB, 21 2B, 1 3B, 21 HR, 9 SB,
35 BB, 118 K, .336 OBP, .486 SLG.
The offensive cipher that is Henry Blanco
may finally have some competition in the next few seasons. Lance Burkhart
is playing at AA (age 27 this winter), and Johnson is right behind him.
Johnson was the best power prospect in the organization a few minutes
after signing, and he opened his career with 10 homers and 35 RBI’s in 98
at-bats against obviously inferior competition. To complete the season, he
hit 6 homers in 3 playoff games in the Pioneer League, and then socked a
homer in a promotion to the Midwest League playoffs before sustaining a
broken hand while being hit by a pitch. If you’re counting, that’s 17
homers in 32 games in 2000. A promotion to High-A was certainly warranted,
and Johnson’s performance suffered a bit. The power was still there, with
a homer every 17.6 at-bats, but his strike-zone judgment deteriorated
significantly. Johnson struck out once every three at-bats this season,
while walking only once every 11.6 plate appearances - ratios that need
improvement. Kade runs fairly well for a catcher, but is probably of only
average swiftness in general. Defensively, Johnson was very sound before a
shoulder injury, but was obviously weaker this season. I can’t see him
playing anywhere but first or catcher under normal circumstances, but
these are the Brewers.
The Brewers are becoming interesting for the
first time in a while, what with Sheets, D’Amico, Neugebauer, and Mieses
on the mound with Sexson, Burnitz, Jenkins, Belliard, Johnson, Krynzel,
and Guerrero all offering potential (or results). Fortunately for Johnson,
there isn’t a catcher in front of him that is a legitimate threat to his
claim on the big-league job. In addition, the only first baseman is
Sexson, who is able to play left field (although that is probably not the
optimal scenario). Suffice it to say that Johnson has a clear path to the
job, and merely needs to progress normally. AA should be a real test for
him next season, and if he handles it well, should be ready by mid-2003 to
send Blanco back from whence he came. Johnson’s ceiling looks like Lance
Parrish to me, his likely performance level is probably more like Benito
Santiago.