Chad
Johnson

7.7.12
Widely considered one of the top defensive catchers in the state,  the left-handed hitting Johnson was the first Illinois high school player selected in the Major League Baseball Draft when the Kansas City Royals picked him the fifth round,  163rd overall.  Not too long after, Johnson signed and was shipped off to rookie ball, foregoing his scholarship to Illinois State University.  The fifth-round selection took some by surprise, though there’s no doubting the valuable skill sets Johnson possesses. He’s an advanced receiver with athletic feet and a strong, accurate arm. Moreover, Johnson also showed left-handed power potential this spring, as he finished with seven home runs, including one at Busch Stadium. He also tallied 14 doubles, 38 RBI, 36 hits, and was walked 32 times, all team-highs for the Silver Streaks.Johnson showed especially well at the Super 60 Pro Showcase in February. As a junior, he batted .398 with five homers.

 
The left-handed hitting Johnson is one of the best all-around defensive catchers in the state, as he possesses a strong arm, soft hands and excellent footwork behind the plate. Johnson has had plenty of practice catching frontline pitchers for Galesburg over the years. Offensively, Johnson batted .398 with 5 home runs and 38 RBI as a junior for the Silver Streaks last year.