With that pick –– their second of the night –– the team selected left-handed pitcher Brian Johnson out of the University of Florida, where he dabbled between pitching and playing first base for the Gators. Scouts say Johnson has four pitches in his arsenal.
Last summer, he was also a two-way player for Team USA. As a pitcher, Johnson went 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in two appearances. At the plate, he belted three homers with five RBIs along with tallying a .411 batting average.
Upon graduating high school in 2009, Johnson was one of the top high school prospects in the country and was selected by the Dodgers in the 27th round. The two parties couldn't come to terms on a contract, however, and Johnson left for Florida.
Johnson is known for overcoming adversity. During his junior year in 2011, the pitcher was knocked unconscious when Florida catcher Mike Zunino's throw to second base struck him in the head. He suffered a mild concussion from the injury.
Through his first two years in college, Johnson amassed a 14-7 record with a 3.82 ERA for the Gators.
Check out some highlights and analysis of Johnson in the video below.
Have a question for Didier Morais? Send it to him via Twitter at @DidierMorais or send it here. He will pick a few questions to answer every week for his mailbag.
