IMG Academy Stud Pitcher And LSU Commit Cameron Johnson Just Letting The Chips Fall Where They May As MLB Draft Approaches

IMG Academy pitcher Cameron Johnson is about as intimidating as you’ll find on a high school mound.

Standing 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, and with a left arm that often befuddles batters, Johnson is one of the highly-touted high school prospects who expect to hear their name called in next month’s MLB Draft. The southpaw transferred from DMV power Bishop McNamara to IMG Academy in an effort to face stiffer competition and help him prepare for his future.

 

 

The LSU commit is currently the 74th-ranked prospect on ProspectsLive Top 300 board for the 2023 MLB Draft. In fact, Johnson is being mentioned as a possible first-round selection.

 

Transferring to IMG Academy was a power move as he looked to join a developmental system that prepared some of the best athletes in all of sports year after year.

 

 

In an interview with Baseball Prospect Journal prior to the season, Johnson talked about the guys IMG has produced on the baseball side of things.

  

“I thought the whole program was good for me in terms of my development,” Johnson said. “Watching players like Elijah Green, Mason Albright, James Wood, and Jackson Ferris and how they progressed and made it to the minor leagues, I want to follow in their footsteps. That is why I chose IMG.”

 

 

Green and Ferris were chosen in the first and second rounds of last year’s draft and given Johnson’s immense potential, the same could happen for him in about a month.

 

 

 

 

Johnson’s Potential Is Through The Roof

 

 

Blessed with great size and good command, the lefty has scouts believing he can be an early-round selection, and as early as Round 1. Even with all the hype and noise around Johnson, he hasn’t let it distract him from trying to get better every day.

 

 

 

“For me, I try not to look at mock drafts and draft rankings because I want to focus on my development,” Johnson said. “I know those rankings are going to change after the spring when everyone is done playing. I want to work on myself and be the best version of Cam Johnson I can be.”

 

 

 

Johnson Has A Solid Array Of Go-To Pitches

 

Johnson’s two best pitches are his overpowering fastball that touches 97 MPH and slider combination. And not to put unnecessary pressure on the kid, he looks a lot like former New York Yankees great and Black Ace, C.C. Sabathia from a size and standpoint. C.C. won over 250 games in his career with over 3,000 strikeouts using a dominant fastball and curveball which kept hitters off-balance.

 

Johnson has also unveiled a change-up to his pitch package that gives both right and left-handed hitters fits. In all, Johnson has no fear throwing any of his pitches and he loves to challenge batters. When asked about his strengths as a pitcher, Johnson said this.

 

“My body physique and quality fastball. My fastball has 20-inch horizontal movement. That is very big for me. I also have the wipeout slider. The pitch is an overpowering pitch that I feel hitters can’t get an eye on.”

 

 

LSU Is Getting A Good One If Johnson Does Go To College

 

When you hear first or early round draft projections for a player, often times they end up never playing for the college they committed to. For Johnson that may be the case, but he says he chose the Bayou Bengals because of the coaching staff.

 

“What stood out was that LSU had to offer with its new coaches,” Johnson said. “The program is on the rise, and I want to be part of that dynasty culture.”

 

It also doesn’t hurt that LSU has 19 College World Series appearances (7th all-time), and six CWS titles (2nd all-time). With Johnson’s wing at their disposal LSU will be strong favorites to win CWS each season he’s available, following in the path of MLBbro pitcher Kumar Rocker whose exemplary pitching had Vanderbilt competing for big stakes each season.