Strengths: Most of what Johnson brings to the table is in the form of defense, intelligence and work ethic, and normall that wouldn’t be enough. But, the Montana native is a catcher.
Johnson handles the position well and his bat is better than he showed last season in the PCL, after being rushed through the system. He’s a good athlete, and in a year or two, his defense will be big-league ready.
Weaknesses: Johnson’s offensive game is probably never going to be better than average for his position, but he did hit .314/.381/.443 in the Cal League in 2005, suggesting he’s not hopeless at the plate.
He does have some fine-tuning to do behind the dish, but the skills are all there.
Tools –
Hitting for Average (On-base skills): Johnson is capable of making contact at a satisfactory level, and even afrer hitting just .231 at Triple-A Tacoma last season, his 74 strikeouts in 360 Pas isn’t a worrysome total.
But the pitching in the PCL exposed his strike zone judgment and plate patience, leading to just 13 walks.
Grade: 40/45
Hitting for Power: The raw power in Johnson’s swing is enough to produce 8-12 long balls and 20-25 doubles at the next level. The issue will be how well he adjusts to the better pitching he saw last season after his 34 extra-base hit summer in ’05.
Johnson’s offense may take a little time, and his moderate power is probably going to be the last thing to fully develop.
Grade: 30/40
Baserunning: Johnson runs well for a catcher and above average overall. He swiped 14 bags last year and is 33 for 46 in 221 career games.
He isn’t likely to retain his natural footspeed after all the time spent crouching behind the plate, but he’s a smart player and that is carried forward in his time on the bases.
Grade: 50/50
Glove: If you watched Johnson everyday last season you can see the tools he has and his understanding of the catcher’s position. If you showed up and saw scattered starts by the 23-year-old, you may think he’s an average defender at very best.
With young catchers, it’s all about repitition and the work that’s done on the side, in between games. And in quarters of the season, Johnson got better.
“He’s already where we want Jeff (Clement) to be in a year or so,” said Mariners catching coordinator Roger Hansen. “Jeff has some catching up to do, and though he’ll get there, Rob has more natural skills that are helping him along the way.”
Grade: 50/60
Arm: Some scouts see Johnson’s arm as about average in strength and below average in accuracy, and while the latter may be true today, it’s almost certain to grade much higher once Johnson is ready for the big leagues.
His technique is sound, but he’s still climbing the consistency ladder. Once he can repeat his motion every time, his accuracy will improve exponentially, allowing him to let it fly and show max arm strength.
Grade: 50/55
Future: Despite his mighty struggles at the plate last year, Johnson still has a decent chance to turn into a starting catcher in the big leagues. His defense will have to carry him, however, making it imperative that he continues to sharpen his defensive skills.
He could return to Triple-A Tacoma for another tour around the PCL, but the word on the street is that he may head to West Tennessee to give his bat a chance to develop properly.
OFP: 54
