From the Ivy League to the pros: Loons’ reliever makes smooth transition

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Michael Johnson has averaged nearly 12 strikeouts per nine innings as a key member of the Loons’ bullpen.[/caption]Professional baseball players don’t typically come from the Ivy League which is why the question has to be asked to Loons reliever Michael Johnson.

But what’s the question to ask?

- What’s it like to be from the Ivy League?

- Is baseball very good in the Ivy League?

- What’s a smart Ivy League guy like you doing in a sport like this?

But, rather than appearing dumber than you really are, you fumble out something along the lines of: “You’re from the Ivy League. Not a lot of guys come from the Ivy League.”[caption id=”attachment_2183547" align=”alignright” width=”183"]

Johnson pitched four seasons at Dartmouth and then was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers.[/caption]

Johnson, who’s low-key in conversation but to the point, gives a low-key, to-the-point answer.

“Well, there are definitely guys that can play (at Ivy schools),” he says. “Kyle Hendricks, one of my teammates (at Dartmouth) is playing for the Cubs. Joe Sclafani is a shortstop at Triple-A for the Astros.

“The overall talent might not be the best, but there are guys that stand out, too. I mean, I think all us had the idea that we wanted to play in the major leagues.”

Johnson played four years at Dartmouth, earning All-Ivy honors, before being selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 14th round of the 2013 draft. He’s a left-hander with a good fastball and slider who has pitched very, very well at the Single-A level.

He’s been a key component in a Loons bullpen that has been one of the team’s strengths all season, if not the №1 strength. He’s contributed heavily to the Loons strikeout assault on opposing hitters (the Loons rank near the top among all minor league teams in K’s).

But there’s still the Ivy thing. The Ivy is all but academic excellence. Presidents and other world leaders went to Ivy League schools. Business leaders. The guy who invented Facebook.

But baseball? Consider this: The Ivy League has produced, according to unofficial research, 555 professional baseball players (major or minor league). Arizona State University has produced 433 all on its own.

It is worth nothing, however, that Lou Gehrig went to Columbia. Current Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus, like Johnson, went to Dartmouth. And there are others. Currently, there are five players in professional baseball that played at Dartmouth, Harvard also has five. It just might not be what you think it is.
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A guy named Lou Gehrig played for Columbia of the Ivy League. [/caption]

Johnson graduated with a degree in economics from Dartmouth and made the dean’s list. He also pitched four seasons on the varsity and went 7–0 with a 1.82 ERA his senior season.

“I loved it there,” he said. “Those were some of the best days of my life.”

Before that, Johnson went to the private Brooks School in North Andover, Mass, where he played baseball, hockey and ran cross country. The school’s motto, translated from Latin, is “We, who are about to be victorious, salute you.”

Johnson has been able to back that up, even on the pro level.

In 67 professional games, all in relief, Johnson has a 2.35 ERA and has averaged 12.6 strikeouts per nine innings. He’s struck out 86 batters in 61 1/3 innings for the Loons this season.

“Every league you move up to there are going to be guys who can hit your mistakes,” he said. “So you have to adjust and adapt to the level of competition.

“I think one of the bigger things is that I’ve been able to do is throw my slider for strikes against lefties. I have a much better command of that pitch and it’s helped.”

Johnson’s focus on consistent improvement paid off in college as he gradually became a player who showed up on MLB scouting reports. He worked with a strength and conditioning coach between his junior and senior seasons with an emphasis on better flexibility.

“The things I did then really helped get my velocity up,” he said. “I’d had a pretty good junior year and I thought I might have a chance to get drafted. Then I had a good senior year, so it was definitely in the back of my mind that I had a shot.”

And if baseball doesn’t work out? Well, Johnson will have his Ivy League degree to fall back on.

Not that he’s thinking that far ahead.

“I’m really not sure what I’d get into,” he said. “I guess I haven’t thought about it.”

Given his success in his current profession, it might be something Johnson won’t have to think about it for a while, anyway.