Today: ATL Prospect Cody Johnson
The Atlanta Braves' first round selection in the 2006 Amateur draft, Cody Johnson is a hard-hitting left-handed first baseman who can also play the outfield corners.
Long before his first-round draft selection, Johnson was under the spotlight. As a 14-year old sophomore in high school, Johnson hit .345 with 5 home runs and went 5-for-5 in the District Championship game, homering twice. The next year he hit .489 with 10 homers, and in his senior season he hit a ridiculous .522 with 15 homers. He was named First Team All-State, First Team All-District, and First Team All-Region, and in his senior year he was named the 2005 AFLAC National High School Player of the Year and receved the Jackie Robinson Award as the top-rising senior in the country.
| Yr | Tm | Age | Lvl | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| 2006 | GCL Braves | 17 | Rk | 32 | 114 | 13 | 21 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 49 | .184 | .260 | .281 | .541 |
| 2007 | Danville | 18 | Rk | 63 | 243 | 51 | 74 | 18 | 5 | 17 | 57 | 7 | 0 | 26 | 72 | .305 | .374 | .630 | 1.004 |
After struggling through his first stint in rookie ball, Johnson fared better in 2007, posting an OPS over 1000 across a full season.
Johnson has an unusual swing, featuring a timing hitch that some scouts are eager to change. But he seems to have enough bat speed to compensate, and his "flawed" swing has produced nothing but good results so far. Whether he'll be able to handle higher-level and higher-speed fastballs is something to watch as he moves up the minor league ladder.
Others who watch him aren't sure what to make of Johnson, who sometimes looks great one day but awful the next. "One day he's Ryan Howard and the next he's Eddie Pearson" says one Florida scout.
One thing that nobody doubts is his power. Johnson has the best raw power in the Braves system, and is probably one of the top five power prospects in all of baseball. His swing is long but fast with an easy, natural loft that lets him reach any outfield fence at will.
The Braves will first try to develop Johnson as an outfielder in order to benefit from his strong throwing arm and overall athleticism, but his limited range and defensive skill will make that a challenge. If his development or the situation calls for it, he'll be moved to first base, which some feel is a more natural position for his body type.
Update: Moved up to Sally-League (A) Rome this season, Johnson is still swinging for the fences and reaching them, with 16 home runs in his first 96 games. His average is down to .243, however, and his strikeouts are frighteningly high at 145 and counting. That swing may be exploitable after all.
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