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Prospect Q & A: Carmel's Cooper Johnson

December 17, 2014

By Ryan Quigley
Illinois Scouting Director

With the November early signing period come and gone, the Prep Baseball Report has interviewed several 2015 and 2016 prospects who have verbally committed or signed their letter of intent to play college baseball. Over the holiday season, we will let Illinois high school baseball fans get a glimpse into the lives of some of the state's top prospects.

Cooper JohnsonCooper Johnson (Carmel Catholic) is a 6-foot, 185-pound catcher currently ranked No. 2 in Illinois’ 2016 class, No. 7 overall in PBR’s coverage area. Johnson stood out this summer at the PBR Future Games, and made his commitment shortly thereafter to the University of Mississippi. The right-handed hitting backstop boasts catch-and-throw skills unmatched in the Midwest, and perhaps the entire country, with pop times recorded in the 1.79-1.90 range.

Scouting Report

Here’s a look at Johnson’s scouting report from the Future Games in August: Immediately following the Future Games, Johnson made his college commitment to Ole Miss, and no doubt several national powerhouses lamented due to the show he put on over the three days. Johnson's pop times ranged between 1.79-1.94, at 81 mph from the crouch. He showed the same ability to catch-and-throw during games, nabbing a Team Indiana runner in game three with a 2.0 time down to second.  He showed several 1.87 times between innings. At the plate, Johnson went 2-for-7 with a double, and a barreled single, hitting several other balls hard. Offensively, hits from an open, spread out stance hands start back and stay quiet through load. Shows quick hands with short level swing getting extension in swing and producing 88 mph exit velocity with occasional lift. He needs a little work receiving, but catching several pitchers you aren’t familiar with is no easy task for any backstop. Johnson should see considerable MLB draft interest with his rocket arm and approach at the plate in the spring of 2015. 

What were your expectations about the recruiting process?

I thought the recruiting process was going to be a lot quicker and easier. It ended up taking me all summer and part of the fall to make my decision to commit to Ole Miss. There are just so many great schools to pick from that have so much to offer. My advice to people trying to pick a school would be to make sure to get on campus, meet the coaches, and make sure the school seems to fit with you. 

Did location or distance from home play a factor in your decision?

Distance did not play a factor in my decision, as I was willing to travel anywhere to play the best collegiate baseball. Location, however, did. I wanted to make sure the school I went to was going to be warm for the majority of the year. Being from Chicago, the cold gets really old, really quick as a baseball player. 

Where did the college you chose first see you? How did your relationship develop with them?

Well, Coach Clement (Ole Miss assistant coach) used to coach at Kansas State and I developed a great relationship with him. I loved him as a coach from the beginning, and when he told me that he got a position to coach at Ole Miss, I thought that our relationship would end after that phone call. Soon after he told me he would be moving schools, he also told me that he wanted to recruit me at Ole Miss as well. My eyes lit up, as Ole Miss had been a dream school for me for a couple of years. Then, the other coaches at Ole Miss came out to watch me play in Georgia, and by the end of the week they said that they wanted to get me on campus so that they could make me an offer.

Who is the best player you have faced in your state, and why?

The best player I have faced in Illinois would have to be Drake Fellows. He is a stud on the bump with plenty of velocity and good off speed. It just so happens that Drake and I play in the same conference (Carmel and Joliet Catholic both play in the East Suburban Catholic Conference), so I will have another shot at him this year. 

At what point in your career did you realize you were an elite player and became serious about taking your game to the next level?

When I was 15. It was my first summer being lighter on my feet and actually taking the game seriously. People began to tell me that I might have some special talent if  I was willing to work hard. So, that next off season I busted it in the gym and in the cages. When I attended the College Camps of America that winter, I stuck out from the other catchers and started to gain my first serious interest from schools. A few showcases later I was posting record times and really started to get on the radar of college coaches. By the end of the summer I had picked up 20+ offers from schools all across the country in all different conferences, and was blessed enough to pick from many amazing schools.

What were you looking for out of a college program to continue your baseball career at?

Well, I had always dreamed of playing baseball in the SEC, and Ole Miss had been a dream school of mine to play at since I was young. When picking from the schools I could go to in the SEC, I looked for things like the coaching staff, the facilities, past success, and campus life. Almost all the schools in the SEC I looked at excelled in these categories, so when it came down to my decision, Ole Miss had my favorite coaches, facilities and campus life. Not to mention they ended up in the College World Series last year.

What is your best attribute as a baseball player and how does that transfer onto the field for your team?

The reason I got recruited by all these big schools was because of my defensive talent and ability to swing the stick. But my defensive talent is my best attribute in my opinion. I believe I helped my pitching staff greatly because they all had a good relationship with me, which helped them relax and focus. They also they could forget about the runner on base as they left it up to me to worry about that.

What part of your game needs the biggest improvement, why, and what will you do to improve it?

I think I need to improve the most in the hitting category. I hit well over the course of the summer, but I want to become more consistent and I need to improve on a few things in my swing. This winter I got my first hitting coach and he has helped me tremendously already. Besides the nights I hit with him, I'm at an indoor facility near my house every day taking swings.

What advice would you give to young baseball players striving to get where you are?

If I have learned one thing, it is that you need to believe in yourself like nobody else in the world does. If you want to be the best, you need to believe it and give 100% effort in every aspect of the game. 

What do you do in the offseason to keep yourself in baseball shape and prepare for the upcoming season?

I'm in the gym 6-7 days a week and the cages every day. My workouts consist of a balance of lifting and cardio. I have already seen great improvement on my 60 time within the 2 months I have been on my routine. Also, I periodically diet to try and maintain good weight. 

What is the most memorable moment in your baseball career to this point?

My most memorable moment in my baseball career to this point would have to be a conversation I had with a coach when I was 15. He told me that I was too lazy and overweight, and that I would never have the opportunity to play Divison-I baseball no matter how hard I tried. The day I had that conversation with that coach, I made it my mission to get in shape and transform myself as a baseball player. I still use that as motivation today and I thank that coach, whether he meant it or not, because it has helped me get to where I am today. 

What do you like most about the college you committed to and what were the key factors in making your decision?

The thing I like most about Ole Miss would have to be the coaches. When I visited, they gave me the sense that they not only wanted me, but they needed me. The moment I left Ole Miss from my visit, I knew that that was the school I wanted to go to. Some key factors that helped me make my decision are the coaches, facilities, conference, location, and past success. I also was given a great scholarship which made my decision that much easier.

What other schools were on your short list before you made your final decision?

Some other schools that were on my short list before I made my commitment to Ole Miss were Florida, Arkansas, Indiana, Oklahoma and Oregon. 

When did the recruiting process really start to heat up for you? Was there a particular game or event that you feel turned the corner for you?

The recruiting process really started to heat up for me last winter, sophomore year. The College Camps of America showcase is what I feel really boosted me and got my name out there to all the college coaches.

Preview your high school season for us. How do you feel your team will be? What are your expectations and goals?

Last year, there were only three non-seniors that started. Of those three, they were all sophomores, one of them including myself. This means that all the juniors from last year (now seniors) are going to have to step up into the seniors (now graduated) positions this coming year. I think that we will take some time to get used to the adjustments, but we will eventually get into a groove and win a good amount of games. We also dropped from 4A to 3A, which should work in our favor come playoff time. I expect to be a leader on my high school team and be a role model to other players. My goals are to be All-State (Johnson was named to the ESCC All-Conference Team last year), be named conference player of the year, and lead my team in all hitting categories.

Where do you play in the summer? And what has been your most memorable experience with them?

I play for Top Tier during the summer. I do not have one memory that sticks out as the best, as I have a thousand memorable moments. Every practice and game with my team is a blessing to me. They have become like a second family to me and I wouldn't wish to be in any other organization. 

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