Gainesville has become a second home for Brian Johnson this spring. The Cocoa Beach High School pitcher comes to see his future team on the weekends, as well as mixing in some family time.
Ironically, they sometimes happen at the same time. Johnson’s sister, Brooke, is a key pinch runner on the Florida softball team. She is 5-of-8 stealing bases and has scored 14 runs for the No. 1 Gators (58-3) who will host California in an NCAA Super Regional this Saturday and Sunday.
A Saturday in Gainesville is not a relaxing day for Johnson. Between watching the softball and baseball games, it is usually a long day.
“I’ve probably been up there 5-6 times this spring,” Johnson said. “I usually will catch both (baseball and softball). I’ll see some of the softball game and then head over to catch the middle to end of the baseball game.”
His time at McKethan Stadium is a little more personal. He enjoys meeting with Florida baseball coach Kevin O’Sullivan, which is always a highlight of the weekend.
“I usually see the coaches before and after the game,” Johnson said. “I’ll go early sometimes and watch batting practice, then I’ll go meet with Sully in his office after he talks to the team.”
There’s always plenty to talk about. Johnson just finished a senior season that would be the envy of almost any player in the country.
Johnson, whose dad played football at Florida State, went 5-1 on the season, including one no-hitter, along with one save. In 55 innings on the season, he struck out 102 batters and only walked 13. He allowed only 28 hits on the season and six earned runs, which figured to an ERA on 0.76.
Sixty-one percent of the batters Johnson has faced this season left the box after being struck out. In six of his 10 starts, he allowed three hits or less.
Needless to say, Johnson knows how to pitch. But he’s not ready to be a full-time pitcher yet.
“I would like to try both hitting and pitching,” Johnson said, “but if I had to pick one it would be pitch. I don’t want to have to give up hitting though.”
And for good reason.
Johnson ended his senior season with a .551 (27-of-49) batting average. He hit nine home runs, one every 5.4 at-bats, and had 21 RBI. He was walked 36 times, 15 intentionally. His on-base percentage was .733 and with a 1.163 slugging percentage.
Oh yeah, he also knows how to hit.
“Having time for both would be hard,” Johnson said. “I would have to go straight from pitching to hitting during practice, but I’ll do whatever I need to do.”
Johnson originally committed to the University of Florida during the summer before his junior year. He will be given every opportunity to hit and pitch for the Gators. The biggest reason for his commitment was the Florida coaching staff, particularly O’Sullivan.
“Humongous,” Johnson said of the role Sully played in his decision. “He is a coach that knows when to be serious and when to play. He has an approach where he always wants to win. As a player, I always want to win, so why not play for him?”
Last summer, Johnson played on a team at the East Coast Pro Showcase that included Florida signees Bobby Borchering, Michael Heller, Patrick Schuster, Kamm Washington, Michael Zunino and Danny Healey. With so much talent on one team, Johnson still maintains contact with Schuster as well as another Florida signee, Nolan Fontana.
“I text them every once in a while just to see how they’re doing,” Johnson said. “A lot of those guys, if they don’t get what they want in the draft, will be up there for Summer ‘B’ (semester) with me.”
In some of Johnson’s conversations with O’Sullivan, the MLB Draft would inevitably come up. It takes place on June 9 and almost every prospect Florida signed will be waiting to hear their name called next month.
“Sully just encourages us to make sure we are making the right decision,” Johnson said. “He just wants you to be comfortable with your decision. He is one of the coaches that’s really hard to find fault with because he really wants what’s best for you.”
But two weeks ago the Johnson family had a meeting to discuss the upcoming draft. They came to the decision that will benefit the Florida baseball program for years to come.
“I sat down with my family and talked to my brother, my sister, my mom and my dad,” Johnson said. “We decided that there really is no option. I’m coming to school. I want to play for a College World Series and I don’t see any kind of money that can pull me away from that.”
When Johnson told O’Sullivan that, the Florida head coach’s reaction said it all.
“He was ecstatic to hear that,” Johnson said.
And so should the rest of Florida’s baseball fans be.