Micah Johnson Stats & Scouting Report

AB	116
AVG	.224
OBP	.291
SLG	.259
HR	0

Full name Micah Drew Johnson
Born 12/18/1990 in Indianapolis, IN
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Indiana
Debut 04/06/2015
Drafted in the 9th round (291st overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 2012 (signed for $127,600).

View Draft Report

Johnson's junior season almost ended before it began. Not only did he struggle in the Cape Cod League last summer, but he also hurt his throwing arm. It continued to bother him after he returned to Indiana, relegating him to DH duty. After going 3-for-21 in nine games, he had surgery that knocked him out for two months. He swung the bat better and returned to second base after rejoining the Hoosiers, and in a down year for college hitters he still could factor into the top five rounds of the draft. Though he's just 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, Johnson can drive the ball thanks to his bat speed. He has good pop for a middle infielder, at times too much for his own good, as his lefthanded swing gets long and he doesn't control the strike zone. Though Johnson is athletic--he reportedly beat No. 1 overall NBA draft pick Greg Oden in a one-on-one basketball game when both were in high school--he's not a lock to stay in the infield. He has hard hands and some scouts think he might fit better in center field. He has the speed to make the transition, as he ran a 6.6-second 60-yard dash on scout day during the fall, and enough arm for the outfield.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Johnson used his quick-twitch athleticism and speed to great effect with the White Sox, performing well up to Triple-A in 2015. After the 2015 season, the White Sox sent Johnson, outfielder Trayce Thompson and righthander Frankie Montas to the Dodgers in the three-team deal in which the Dodgers sent infielders Jose Peraza and Brandon Dixon and outfielder Scott Schebler to the Reds, who sent Todd Frazier to the White Sox. Staying in Triple-A but switching to the Pacific Coast League in 2016, Johnson scuffled. Johnson is a plus-plus runner whose hitting style is to put the ball on the ground and try to beat out hits. It leaves him with minimal impact in his bat or power due to his frequent grounders and many balls not leaving the infield. His contact skills and plate discipline are solid but not above-average. Johnson doesn't have soft hands or clean actions at second base, though he gets to balls others can't because of his range. The Dodgers also had him spend time in center and left field to increase his versatility. Entering his age-26 season, Johnson will have to perform better offensively to break through in a reserve role.
An elbow injury dropped Johnson to the ninth round of the 2012 draft, where the White Sox gambled on his twitchy athleticism and speed. He surpassed expectations in 2013 by leading the minors with 84 stolen bases. Limited by hamstring and knee injuries to his left leg in both 2014 and 2015, he still hit a cumulative .301 with 51 steals at Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte. Johnson won the Opening Day second-base job for the White Sox in 2015, though he earned a quick demotion to Charlotte in favor of glove-first rookie Carlos Sanchez. Johnson needed work to soften his hands, improve his throwing accuracy and quicken his double-play pivot, and the White Sox believe he can become at least playable. The lefthanded hitter exhibits good strike-zone control and can serve the ball to left field and leg out infield hits with plus speed. He should be at least a solid-average hitter, but his power is mostly to the gaps. Johnson had arthroscopic surgery on his knee in the offseason that cleared away scar tissue and should have him ready for spring training.
If he's not careful, Johnson will pick up the injury-prone tag. He missed much of his junior season at Indiana with arm surgery, then lit up pro ball in 2013, leading the minors with 84 stolen bases and earning MVP honors in the Double-A Southern League playoffs. Johnson then missed two stretches with left hamstring problems in 2014. In an organization long on athletes, Johnson still stands out for his explosiveness and burst. He's physical and strong, with surprising pull power that allows him to punish mistakes. He focuses more on being a top-of-the-order igniter, with double-plus speed and reasonable contact skills, as well as a discerning-enough eye for a leadoff man. Johnson doesn't always adjust on pitches away, and he has to keep improving his footwork around the bag to turn the double play effectively. With hard hands, he struggles to consistently field the ball cleanly. With his plus range, he must learn which plays he can make and which ones he can't. The White Sox traded Gordon Beckham in 2014, leaving second base an open competition between Johnson, Carlos Sanchez and Marcus Semien. Johnson might be the best bet, but if he needs more polish, he will head back to Triple-A Charlotte.
An arm injury that required surgery limited Johnson to 80 at-bats as an Indiana junior, allowing the White Sox to snap him up in the ninth round of the 2012 draft and sign him for $127,600. His first full season exceeded expectations, as he led the minors with 84 stolen bases and dominated the Southern League playoffs. He led Double-A Birmingham to a championship, hitting .368 with seven steals in 10 playoff games. Johnson showed up to spring training with just 6 percent body fat and showed explosive tools, including top-of-the-scale speed with sub-4.0-second times to first base. Once a slap-and-dash switch-hitter, he now hangs in to drive the ball more often, especially from the left side, and isn't afraid to go deep in counts and draw a walk. Johnson's hard hands contributed to 29 errors in the regular season. He has improved with the help of infield coordinator Ever Magallanes, and the organization thinks he'll be an adequate defender. If not, he'll move to center field. The White Sox believe his leadership and offensive upside will help him and Tim Anderson form a dynamic tandem in their middle infield and at the top of future lineups, with Johnson arriving first.
Johnson is more athletic than the typical second baseman. Legend has it that he once beat former NBA No. 1 overall draft pick Greg Oden in a one-on-one basketball game when both were in high school, and he was the fastest runner in Chicago's 2012 draft class, clocking a 6.6-second 60-yard dash for scouts. Johnson hurt his elbow in the Cape Cod League in 2011 and tried to play through it last spring before succumbing to arthroscopic surgery and missing two months. His inactivity helped drop him to the ninth round, where he signed for $127,600. A switch-hitter, Johnson has surprising pop for his size but tries to do too much at the plate at times. He draws walks and has the speed to be a factor at the top of the order, but he doesn't focus on making contact and strikes out too often. Though he has raw speed, he needs to improve his baserunning. A below-average defender at second because he lacks soft hands, he made 10 errors in 43 pro games. He has the quickness and average arm strength to perhaps fit in center field, but he'd have a hard time profiling as a regular if he had to play on an outfield corner. He'll stay at second base as he opens his first full pro season in low Class A.

Draft Prospects

Johnson's junior season almost ended before it began. Not only did he struggle in the Cape Cod League last summer, but he also hurt his throwing arm. It continued to bother him after he returned to Indiana, relegating him to DH duty. After going 3-for-21 in nine games, he had surgery that knocked him out for two months. He swung the bat better and returned to second base after rejoining the Hoosiers, and in a down year for college hitters he still could factor into the top five rounds of the draft. Though he's just 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, Johnson can drive the ball thanks to his bat speed. He has good pop for a middle infielder, at times too much for his own good, as his lefthanded swing gets long and he doesn't control the strike zone. Though Johnson is athletic--he reportedly beat No. 1 overall NBA draft pick Greg Oden in a one-on-one basketball game when both were in high school--he's not a lock to stay in the infield. He has hard hands and some scouts think he might fit better in center field. He has the speed to make the transition, as he ran a 6.6-second 60-yard dash on scout day during the fall, and enough arm for the outfield.

Minor League Top Prospects

A ninth-round find by the White Sox in 2012, Johnson hit .312 and led the minors with 84 stolen bases in 2013, when he mastered three levels of the minors and arrived at Birmingham just in time to star for the Barons on their drive to the SL title. Hampered by a hamstring injury for most of 2014, Johnson lacked the same explosiveness that he showed the year before, stealing just 22 bases in 35 attempts in his time at Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte. With a quick lefthanded swing, he can drive the inside pitch for surprising power or serve soft stuff away to left field. At full health, Johnson's top-of-the-scale speed, feel for the barrel and bunting ability will make him at least an average hitter. He controls the strike zone and can steal second or third base, making him a potential first-division leadoff hitter. Johnson offers a well-rounded offensive skill set that profile at second base, but only if his hard hands and below-average arm don't force a move to center field.
Johnson's approach has varied through the years from a speedy slap hitter to someone looking to drive the ball for power. If he can balance the two pursuits, he projects as a top-of-the-order hitter with speed and on-base ability, but at what position is the question. Scouts long have suggested his wheels should help Johnson handle a switch to center field if he didn't stick at second base, where he has hard hands and a fringy arm. The White Sox's depth at the keystone--including fellow Charlotte players Carlos Sanchez and Marcus Semien--may make the decision for him. A nagging hamstring injury combined with difficulty catching up the speed of the Triple-A game wreaked havoc on Johnson's production at Charlotte, but his quick lefthanded stroke, double-plus speed and feel for the strike zone give him a considerable offensive ceiling.