The Dodgers on Saturday officially announced the signing of five of their 2013 MLB draft picks, including 14th-round pick Michael Johnson, a left-handed pitcher out of Dartmouth.
The Dodgers also announced the signings of Arizona third baseman Brandon Dixon (third round), Arizona high school first baseman Clay Bellinger (fourth round), Arizona State second baseman James McDonald (18th round) and Florida high school shortstop Blake Hennessey (19th round).
There are more picks in the fold, as their top six picks and 10 of their first 12 selections have agreed to terms. But the team won't officially announce the deal until the contract is signed and physical completed.
Johnson was 7-0 with a 1.82 ERA in his senior season at Dartmouth with 47 strikeouts and 13 walks in 59⅓ innings. The left-hander, who graduated from Dartmouth with a 3.43 GPA, told John Shimer of the Newbury Port News on Thursday that he was headed for Arizona.
"I think everything just started to click. I worked on flexibility in the offseason trying to gain some strength in my legs. I think that just helped me get stronger and repeat my delivery and just be able to be more consistent," Johnson told Shimer.
"I’ve been at this a long time, and I’ve seen a lot of kids that have played professionally," Dartmouth coach Bob Whalen told Shumer. "Of all the guys that play pro baseball, only the top 1 percent play a day in the big leagues. You want the best for kids. Does he have the ability? There’s no doubt in my mind that he does."