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Dynasty League Target Micah Johnson
Who is Micah Johnson? That's a question a lot of Sox fans will be asking themselves in a few short weeks. Well, let me be among the first to introduce you to the 24 year old second baseman.
Johnson was the 13th pick in the ninth round of the 2012 amateur draft. In the last ten years of the amateur draft the most recognizable names to come out of the ninth round are Jacob deGrom, Chase Anderson, David Carpenter, David Freese, and Mark Melancon. Not terrible company, but five names out of roughly 300 doesn't suggest much chance for success.
So why am I even wasting my time and yours talking about Johnson right now? It might have something to do with hitting .298/.369/.423 across all levels of the minors. Do I have your attention yet?
Good. I haven't even told you the best part yet. He plays second base, and is going to be the White Sox every day second baseman this year! Carlos Sanchez is not the reason that the White Sox felt comfortable trading away Marcus Semien.
Need more stats to convince you? No? Well you're going to get them anyway! In 2013, Johnson stole a total of 87 bases between a few levels of the minors. Yes, you read that right. Not to mention the fact that he has been successful stealing bases 136 out of 181 times. For a guy that still has a lot of room to grow that's pretty impressive.
Don't get me wrong. There is still some downside with Johnson. For example, if you're looking for some power up the middle he is not your guy. The most homers he's hit in a season is a seven, and that's unlikely to change any time soon.
He also suffered two hamstring injuries last year. The hamstring injuries likely explain why he only stole 22 bags last season. How dare he not get at least over 60 again!
Despite his "lack" of base stealing last year,Johnson finds himself in a great situation this year. Hitting in a lineup that includes Jose Abreu, Melky Cabrera, and Adam LaRoche should help his counting stats as he plays his first full year in the majors. Just be wary of the threat that Emilio Bonifacio poses to Johnson's playing time should Johnson falter at all.
Micah Johnson Player Projection
Enough beating around the bush though. At this point you're wondering what I see for Johnson going forward, and you have a right to know. His floor is the equivalent to...well actually I think Bonifacio is an apt comparison. I see his ceiling as the 2014 Dee Gordon type of player. He will steal a lot of bases, get a ton of hits due to his blazing speed, and score a lot of runs. As mentioned before, he won't hit for any power but a season with double digits may be within reach.
Maybe I'm placing too much faith in the White Sox front office, but there is a reason they felt comfortable trading Semien. Semien will be a great piece for the Athletics, but the White Sox could afford the risk because they caught lightning in a bottle late in the draft. You can catch some of that lightning too.
Johnson was drafted in the 20th round of my 12 team start up dynasty draft this past month. He can go as early as the 19th. Fantasy baseball is all about risk/reward. Dynasty baseball even more so. With how weak second base is for dynasty purposes, Johnson is well worth that risk.
