Carmel senior Cooper Johnson is one of 28 players vying for 20 spots on Team USA’s 18-under baseball team that will play in the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s Baseball World Cup from Aug. 28-Sept. 6 in Nishinomiya, Japan.
Johnson, who’s verbally committed to Mississippi but will be eligible for the Major League Baseball draft next June, is one of three catchers on the 28-player list. The others are senior Michael Amditis from Boca Raton, Fla., and junior Hagen Danner from Huntington Beach, Calif.
Amditis has verbally committed to Miami (Fla), and Danner has verbally committed to UCLA.
The 28 players were invited to the final round of tryouts in Fullerton, Calif., from an original group of 40 players that took part in the first round of tryouts in North Carolina in late June and early July.
Glenn Cecchini, baseball coach at Barbe High School in Louisiana, is the 18-under manager.
The tryouts and practice games were scheduled for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, and the team will be announced after Wednesday’s game against a team called the Utah Bucks.
Johnson is a 6-foot, 185-pound, right-handed hitter. He’s most highly regarded how quickly he can get a ball from his catcher’s glove to second base on an attempted steal.
At Carmel last spring, he hit .382 with 33 RBIs.
Former Carmel baseball coach Dann Giesey, who resigned this summer, coached Johnson on the varsity the past two seasons. Giesey, now an assistant for Carmel’s softball team, said he never doubted Johnson’s work ethic after noticing a marked improvement early in his career.
“Cooper came in as a little kid his freshman year, but he worked his butt off between his freshman and sophomore year, and when he came in for his sophomore year, he was so unrecognizable in physical stature, his athleticism and physical strength,” Giesey said. “He put so much time into getting physically stronger, that when he came in sophomore year, he was a totally different player.
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“He really deserves all the credit for the time he put into his game. He’s a fierce competitor and tough kid. He has a bright future ahead of him. I have no doubt he will continue to raise his game.”
This is the second time Johnson’s been in California this summer for baseball. He participated in the Area Code Games in Los Angeles, which was a tournament for the nation’s best prep players.
Johnson, who was born in Los Angeles, said he played in five games, starting three
“It was really nice because I got to see a lot of faces that I met throughout the summer, and reconnect with some old players I met,” Johnson said. “I feel I held my own and did well, especially considering the competition.
“Early on, I struggled at the bat, but defensively I played like I usually do, and that’s my strong point. These events really humble you. It allows you to realize that there are a lot of really good players.”
Bob Narang contributed to this report.