- Full name Carter Johnson
- Born 02/22/2006 in
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 180 / Bats: L / Throws: R
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Drafted in the 2nd round (56th overall) by the Miami Marlins in 2024 (signed for $2,800,000).
View Draft Report
School: Oxford (Ala.) HS
Commit/Drafted: Alabama
Age At Draft: 18.4
BA Grade: 55/Extreme
Tools: Hit: 55. Power: 50. Run: 45. Field: 50. Arm: 50.
Johnson is a 6-foot-2, 180-pound Alabama high school shortstop who has developed a reputation as one of the best pure hitters in the prep ranks. While Johnson doesn’t jump off the page with any physical tools, he has a steady, reliable hit-first game that is driven by a relaxed and fluid lefthanded swing and outstanding strike-zone awareness. His track record of in-game performance is lengthy. Johnson’s swing is compact and quick, enabling him to handle pitches in all areas of the zone thanks to above-average bat-to-ball skills. He’s a line-drive hitter who can use the entire field, though scouts are mixed on exactly how much more strength and power he’ll add in the future. Johnson could grow into average in-game power thanks to his barrel skills, but he is unlikely to be a 25-home run threat. A shortstop now, Johnson could move to third base or second base in the future. He’s stretched at shortstop because of fringy pure speed and lateral quickness, though he should be fine at either second or third base, where he has enough arm to stick. Johnson lacks typical first-round tools, but it wouldn’t be shocking for him to slip into the back of the round to a team that believes he’ll be a plus pure hitter. If not, he should still be a day one talent, even though he is committed to Alabama.
Top Rankings
Draft Prospects
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School: Oxford (Ala.) HS Commit/Drafted: Alabama
Age At Draft: 18.4
BA Grade: 55/Extreme
Tools: Hit: 55. Power: 50. Run: 45. Field: 50. Arm: 50.
Johnson is a 6-foot-2, 180-pound Alabama high school shortstop who has developed a reputation as one of the best pure hitters in the prep ranks. While Johnson doesn’t jump off the page with any physical tools, he has a steady, reliable hit-first game that is driven by a relaxed and fluid lefthanded swing and outstanding strike-zone awareness. His track record of in-game performance is lengthy. Johnson’s swing is compact and quick, enabling him to handle pitches in all areas of the zone thanks to above-average bat-to-ball skills. He’s a line-drive hitter who can use the entire field, though scouts are mixed on exactly how much more strength and power he’ll add in the future. Johnson could grow into average in-game power thanks to his barrel skills, but he is unlikely to be a 25-home run threat. A shortstop now, Johnson could move to third base or second base in the future. He’s stretched at shortstop because of fringy pure speed and lateral quickness, though he should be fine at either second or third base, where he has enough arm to stick. Johnson lacks typical first-round tools, but it wouldn’t be shocking for him to slip into the back of the round to a team that believes he’ll be a plus pure hitter. If not, he should still be a day one talent, even though he is committed to Alabama.
Top 100 Rankings
Scouting Reports
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School: Oxford (Ala.) HS Committed: Alabama
Age At Draft: 18.4
Johnson is a 6-foot-2, 180-pound shortstop who has developed a reputation as one of the best pure hitters in the prep class. Johnson doesn’t have any loud tools that jump off the page, but he has a steady, reliable game that’s driven by a relaxed and fluid lefthanded swing that could develop into plus pure hitting ability. Johnson’s swing is short and he maneuvers the barrel well to all quadrants of the zone and made contact within the zone at an 87% clip in 2023. He’s more of a line drive hitter presently who can use all fields and occasionally pull the ball down the line to the pull side, but he does have room to add more power and fill out his still-lean frame. Defensively, Johnson has reliable hands, fine actions and average arm strength that should give him a chance to stick at shortstop. Some scouts believe he will be a better fit for second base in the long run. Johnson will turn in average run times, but he is a fringy or below-average straight line runner and clocked a 7.0-second 60-yard dash at the 2023 East Coast Pro—where he put on a hitting clinic. Johnson is committed to Alabama but has the hitting chops to be selected in the first round.
