Johnson Eagerly Awaiting Tonight’s MLB Draft

By  //  June 4, 2012

Waiting For The Call

Florida Gator and former Cocoa Beach star Brian Johnson could be a top selection in tonight's Major League Baseball Draft. (Image courtesy University of Florida)

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BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA BEACH, FLORIDA – If lefthander Brian Johnson was nervous pitching for the University of Florida against Georgia Tech in the NCAA Gainesville Baseball Regional on Sunday, he sure didn’t show it.

The former Cocoa Beach Minutemen star surrendered just three hits and a homer in five innings of work facing the Yellowjackets as Florida cruised to 15-3 victory.

Johnson’s victory boosted his season record to 8-4 and lifted the Gators into a berth in the NCAA Super Regionals round for a fourth straight season.

Besides trying to help Florida qualify for the College World Series once again, Johnson also may have been thinking ahead to tonight’s annual Major League Baseball Draft, where he is projected by some to be a first or second-round draft choice.

After graduating from Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High School in 2009, Johnson was rated as the 84th top player in America by Baseball America and has solidified that ranking with three outstanding seasons playing as a designated hitter and a pitcher for the Gators.

He is a two-time All-American and will go considerable higher in this year’s draft than coming out of high school in 2009, when he was a 27th round selection of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Johnson also has played two years for Team USA and has faced international opponents from Korea, Taiwan and Japan.

Major League Baseball’s 2012 First-Year Player Draft will be televised by MLB Network and streamed live on MLB.com starting at 7 p.m. tonight, immediately following a one-hour preview show that begins at 6 p.m.