Future Games Spotlight - 1B Cooper Johnson

Uncommitted. 6 foot 4, 190 pounds, large frame w/ coat hanger shoulders & more height on the way. Getting stronger every year. Pure hitter who manipulates barrel effortlessly to square up any pitch in any zone. Advanced swing mechanics - quiet head, simplified movement & direction, gradual chest load times up perfect w/ stride, hands fluid thru launch position w/ no pause. Light in the feet at 1B, soft hands, strong accurate arm. Just as much potential on the mound. Dad played pro ball for Rockies at 6’6 225.

Johnson concluded a breakout summer with a solid performance/showing for Team Georgia at the Future Games. A 6-foot-3, 170-pound long and athletic frame holds premium projection, and the present hit-tool is fun to watch while dreaming about the power boost that he is likely to see sooner rather than later. The hands work relaxed and loose, and the left-handed hitter exhibits an innate ability to slow the game down at the plate and work short-to-long through the zone. Johnson doesn’t try to do too much, working gap-to-gap with firm line drives from a more balanced approach. The projection is what is most intriguing about Johnson as a potential run-producer down the line, and my gut tells me that he might take a bigger jump as soon as next spring.

Listed at 6-foot-1, 160-pounds and still getting taller, Johnson is already aware of the movement patterns that his long limbs produce, and took some of the best at-bats of the tournament for US Elite 15U Johnson squad. Featuring an impressive ability to slow the game down at the plate with a relaxed setup and natural lag in the zone from the left side, Johnson peppered balls to all fields, changing planes and showing comfort in all counts. The frame and swing are athletic, and there is good reason to believe he will see a significant boost in power as more strength develops. Also a polished arm on the mound with similar upside, there is considerable two-way potential, and as a middle-of-the-order type bat with an already impressive hit-tool, expect college coaches to pay close attention to his at-bats and outings moving forward.

Positional Profile: 1B/LHP
Body: 6-3, 170-pounds. Projectable frame, long, broad shoulders, lots of room to fill out.
Hit: L/L. Balanced setup, rhythm in hands, smooth load with a barrel wrap, leg kick timing trigger, explosive lower half, great balance. Swing path is short to the zone, level with extension through the zone, advanced bat-to-ball with projectable power to all fields.
Power: 87.47 max exit velocity, averaged 82.01 mph. 294.00’ max distance.
Arm: L/L.  INF - 73.00 mph.  Long, loose arm action to a high 3/4 slot, accurate across the diamond.
Defense: Fields position athletically, good feel around the bag, natural footwork, soft glove, clean exchanges.
Run: 7.67 runner in the 60.

Underclass Games

6-foot-1, 160-pound left-handed hitting two-way prospect, long, lanky frame. On the mound, arm works long, slot varied between low ¾ and ¾. Tall and fall delivery, works on-line, lands toe closed, finishes upright. Fatball sat 70-71, sink. Curveball, 59-60, 11/5 shape, gradual break. Changeup, 66-67, sinking action. Offensively, wide, balanced setup, high hands load back as the barrel wraps, short stride, good balance. Pull-side hitter, barrel works uphill through the zone, looks to elevate the ball, 76 exit velocity off a tee. Defensively, long arm action to high ¾ slot, 71 from the outfield. Fundamental sound, plays through the ball, keeps his feet underneath him while catching fly balls, clean footwork and clean on transfers. Ran an 8.57 laser-timed 60.