Johnson making transition to minors well

From aluminum bats to wood bats, Indiana to Montana, and college ball to professional ball, Micah Johnson is making his transition to the minor leagues look easy.
The former IU second baseman was drafted in the ninth round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Chicago White Sox on June 5, and has flourished so far with his new organization.
Prior to the draft, Johnson had said he would return to Indiana for his senior season if he was not picked within the first 10 rounds. He got the call from Chicago’s south side team just in time.
“It was awesome,” Johnson said of being picked. “I think everyone around me was more excited than I was. It didn’t really set in until probably a day or two afterwards, and I was just ready to go and play again. I missed so many games this year that I just want to play, so I was just excited to get out here in Montana as soon as possible.”
Johnson said several teams called him and expressed interest in selecting prior to the ninth round, but the contracts they offered him were not the best fit. Still, he is happy the White Sox selected him.
“I kind of figured it would happen at some point later in the first round maybe if the situation was right,”  he said. “Luckily the white sox called me and everything and it worked out pretty good.”
On June 13, Johnson signed a contact with the White Sox  worth $127,600. Shortly thereafter, he was assigned to the organization’s rookie ball affiliate, the Great Falls Voyagers in Great Falls, Mont.
Johnson picked up right where he left off before having surgery on his elbow Mar. 7 that limited him to 24 games in 2012 with Indiana. He hit just .212 during the injury-shortened season, but has regained the hitting stroke that earned him 2012 preseason All-American recognition.
Through 24 games with the Voyagers, Johnson is hitting .313 with a home run and 11 RBI. He leads the team with 22 runs scored and nine stolen bases while hitting primarily from the two hole.
“When we first signed him and  he came down to minicamp, they said he had elbow surgery,” Voyagers hitting coach Charles Poe said. “I saw him on a different field, how he was hitting- nothing really stood out to me until I got him in the cage one-on-one. I got to see how he controls the bat. He was coming through the ball a lot better than some of the guys I saw early on.”
It’s Johnson’s mentality that drives him. He said confidence is the biggest factor contributing to his early success in the minor leagues.
“I think that what it really comes down to out here is that you have to know that you belong here and you can’t just come in here and be scared and look around you,” he said. “Once you start doing that and start doubting yourself, that’s when you start having issues.”
As for adjusting to life in the minors, Johnson’s manager, Ryan Newman, is impressed with his second baseman so far.
“It’s a grind; this is the first time these guys ever come to bp (batting practice) every day and we expect them to play every day,” Newman said. “It’s tough to mentally and physically get adjusted to pro ball. So far he’s made that adjustment really well.”
Johnson’s ability to adjust well has him not worrying about the little things, and able to show off his all-around game.
“He is a tremendous athlete,” Newman said. “He’s got lots of skills: he’s a good defender; his range is outstanding at second base. He can run. He’s right in the middle of the lineup and is handling that bat well.”
Johnson’s athleticism allows him to make highlight-reel defensive plays, but sometimes betrays him on routine grounders. He leads the team in errors with seven and has a fielding percentage of .941 percent.
“Slowing the game down,” Newman said of how Johnson can improve on defense. “He plays at one speed. There are routine balls he doesn’t have to attack so hard. He needs to slow down on those routine plays.”
To Johnson’s credit, he has been putting in extra work on his defense.
“He’s really working on hard on his defense,” Poe, his hitting coach, said. “He’s making extraordinary plays already and he’s got a little highlight reel working already, but he’s still working with some instructors on routine plays, staying down more, using his legs.”
Johnson’s hitting has been his strong suit since he first donned a Hoosier uniform. As a freshman in 2010, Johnson hit .312 with career-highs in home runs (11) and RBI (42). Johnson hit .335 the following season, but his power numbers dipped (three homers and 34 RBI).
His power has yet to materialize as a professional, as his one homer run with the Voyagers suggests. Poe, for one, is happy Johnson is staying within himself at the plate and not trying to show off the power he knows Johnson possesses.
“He’s gonna develop power,” Poe said. “He has a lot of power right now. I’m glad he’s a gap-to-gap guy right now; I don’t wanna see him try to hit home runs at this point in the game. And he puts on an absolute show in bp. If he wants to juice the ball he absolutely can. He has the power to leave to all fields if he really wants to. Right now I want him to think gap-to-gap and not get into trouble trying to him home runs in a game. The home runs will come.”  
When Johnson steps to the plate, infielders respect his line-drive power and play back on him. He could easily make those infielders pay for playing back with some well-placed bunts.  
“He has that (bunt) and he did it a couple of times since we’ve had him,” Poe said. “I know he can run very well and that needs to be in his arsenal.  He takes a healthy hack and those guys are playing back.”
From a baseball standpoint, Johnson has made the transition well from college to the minors. Though he is miles away from Bloomington and his hometown of Indianapolis, he seems to be unfazed by the geographic change as well.
“Honestly, it’s not anything different,” he said. “The town I’m in right now- there’s no mountains around here. It kind of looks like Anderson, Indiana.”

It can’t hurt that Johnson went from a college team to a team full of college-aged players.

“The team is awesome,” Johnson said. “I like them a lot. Everyone is really focused on doing well and it’s been working out.”

Johnson has made sure to maintain his own level of focus, making the most of his daily routine. He generally takes early hitting for some one-on-one instruction with Poe around 2:15 every game day, before taking batting practice with the team, stretching and working on whatever else he feels is necessary.  

“Basically everything is on your own, whatever you’re comfortable with doing,” Johnson said. “I’ve been doing the same routine since I’ve been out here, just trying to stay active all day so I don’t get tired or stiff.”

And while some players in rookie ball might struggle to maintain a routine after having it organized for them for so many years, the independence seems to suit Johnson well.

“Everybody wants to keep it going and kind of treat you like it’s a job,” Johnson said. “It’s on  you – they don’t really get on you at all. If you make an error, they never say anything to you. It’s kind of like they treat you like a professional now.

“I like it a lot better this way.”

Johnson is treated like a professional because he now is one. His potential and upside are off the charts. As long as he continues to dedicate himself to the game, many believe he can one day fulfill his dream.

“The hitting will come,” Poe said. “If he concentrates on his defense and takes that seriously, he will play in the big leagues.”