Cooper Johnson

If Johnson can just hit .230 in pro ball, he’ll play for a very long time. And even if he hits .210 he still might be a future big leaguer, simply because scouts are that confident in Johnson’s excellent glove work behind the plate. Johnson is one of the best receivers in college baseball. He handles a pitching staff extremely well, and his plus-plus arm discourages base stealers—he threw out 45 percent of attempted basestealers this year. However, there’s much less confidence he’ll actually hit .230. Johnson can drive the ball with average power, but he struggles to make consistent contact. He’s never topped .300 in a season in college, and he hit .145 in two summers in the Cape Cod League. Johnson has hit better this year after tweaking his setup, and he now begins with a very high handset. His swing has some length to it, further adding to concerns about how much he’ll hit. Most evaluators see Johnson as a future backup catcher because of his light bat, but it’s easy to find scouts who are confident he’ll play in the majors because of his defense.