Nick Johnson #24
B/T: L/L
#24 1B
Nick Johnson Bio
Fullname: Nicholas Robert Johnson
Born: 9/19/1978 in Sacramento, CA
Draft: 1996, New York Yankees, Round: 3, Overall Pick: 89
High School: C K. McClatchy, Sacramento, CA
Relationship(s): nephew of Larry Bowa
Nicholas Robert Johnson
Full name is Nicholas Robert Johnson...Married to Liz, with two children: Brianna and Nicholas Robert Jr...Graduated from C.K. McClatchy High School (Calif.)...Is the nephew of Larry Bowa.
Spent the majority of his season with Triple-A Columbus in the Cleveland organization...Batted .201/.316/.332 in 53 games (184 at-bats)...Collected six multi-hit games, including season-high 3, August 29 vs. Louisville...Scored season-high 3R, July 22 vs. Lehigh Valley...Also appeared in 2G for Double-A Akron...Had two stints on the 7-day DL; April 7-June 3 and July 6-15.
Batted .167/.388/.306 in 24 games for the Yankees...Placed on 15-day DL, May 8 with an inflamed tendon in his right wrist...Transferred to 60-day DL on May 20, where he would remain for the rest of the season.
Split the season between the Nationals and Marlins organization after being acquired by Florida at the 7/31 trading deadline in exchange for LHP Aaron Thompson... combined to bat a career-high .291 (133-for-457) with 71R, 24 doubles, 8HR, 62RBI and 99BB in 133 games... ranked second in the National League with a .426 on-base percentage and sixth in walks...Posted the third-highest on-base percentage in the Majors, trailing only AL MVP Joe Mauer (.444) and NL MVP Albert Pujols (.443)...also ranked third in the Majors with 4.36 pitches per plate appearances...Opened the season with the Nationals and hit .295 with 16 doubles, 6HR and 44RBI in 98 games... tied his career high with 5RBI (second time) in 5/12 loss at San Francisco then matched his career high with 4H (fifth time) in the next day's win at the Giants...With the Marlins, hit .279 with 8 doubles, 2HR and 18RBI in 35 games... went 2-for-3 with 2BB and 1HBP in his Marlins debut on 8/1 vs. Chicago-NL, becoming the first player in franchise history to reach base five times in his Marlins debut...Suffered a strained right hamstring in 8/16 win vs. Colorado... went on the 15-day disabled list on 8/26 (retroactive to 8/17)... played in two rehab games with Single-A Jupiter before he was returned from rehab and reinstated from the D.L. on 9/3 (missed 15 team games)... was batting .302 on 9/16, but closed out the season with 2H over his final 23AB.
Completed long and painful return from Sept. 2006 fractured right femur, but again fell victim to injury, missing the season's final 4.5 months with a right wrist injury...hit .220 with 8 doubles, 5 home runs and 20 RBI in 38 games before sustaining a right wrist tendon sheath injury on a swing, May 13 at NYM...coincidentally, the injury came in the same ballpark as the 2006 fractured right femur...had season-ending surgery to repair the tendon sheath in the right wrist performed by Dr. Richard Berger on June 24, 2008 in DC...at time of injury, was tied for the team lead with 4 gamewinning RBI...also at the time of injury, 33 walks ranked 2nd in MLB behind only STL's Albert Pujols (40)...in fact, led the Nationals in walks until August 15, when Ronnie Belliard notched his 33rd free pass...walked once every 4.45 plate appearances (Adam Dunn led MLB by walking once every 5.34 plate appearances)...took career-best 4.29 pitches per plate appearance, a figure that prorated would have tied for 4th in MLB.
Worked in conjuction with Nationals doctors, training staff, as well as strength and conditioning staff on intense rehab program constructed to overcome affects of fracured right femur, sustained on September 23 at NYM...had 2 subsequent surgeries in 2007 to remove hardware...on January 16, had a distal screw removed in a procedure performed by Dr. Richard Marder...on August 21, had final hardware removal performed by Dr. David Lewellen at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN...began taking batting practice on July 31.
After signing 3-year contract extension (that runs through 2009 season), quietly turned in one of the best offensive seasons in the NL...seemed destined to complete first injury-free campaign, but suffered fractured right femur on a freak collision with RF Austin Kearns in the 8th inning on September 23 at NYM (came on a David Wright popup in "no man's land")...had successful surgery performed by Dr. Peter Dzenis and Nationals orthopedist Dr. Ben Shaffer that night at Queens Hospital New York...is expected to be ready for '07 Spring Training according to Dr. Shaffer...regardless, did not make a trip to the DL for the first time in career...hit .290 (145-for-500) with 46 doubles, 23 home runs, 77 RBI, 11 stolen bases and 110 walks in 147 games...posted career highs in both on-base (.428) and slugging (.520) percentages...posted career highs in virtually every offensive category...ranked among NL leaders in doubles (tied for 7th), walks (tied for 3rd), IBB (tied for 7th with 15), on-base percentage (4th), OPS (8th at .948) and HBP (tied for 10th with 13)...lived up to "patient hitter" label by ranking 2nd in NL having seen 4.28 pitches per plate appearance...led the NL by earning a walk once every 5.71 plate appearances...ranked 3rd in MLB having taken 64.9 percent of pitches seen...took 1746 pitches in all to rank 4th in MLB...recorded 2nd-best single-season on-base percentage (.428) in franchise annals (Tim Raines posted a .429 OBP in 1987)...the .428 OBP was the best posted by a franchise left-handed batter...joined SFG's Barry Bonds, SDP's Brian Giles and HOU's Morgan Ensberg as the only 4 players to walk 100 or more times in 2006, yet not record 100 or more strikeouts...'06 totals also rank among franchise's single-season top 10 in doubles (tied for 4th), walks (tied for 5th) and OPS (9th)...with 100 runs scored, combined with Alfonso Soriano to become the 5th set of franchise teammates to score 100 or more runs (first since Vlad Guerrero and Jose Vidro in 2002)...for first time in career, played in vast majority of games (147)...batted .306 with 39 RBI at RFK...10 homers at RFK tied Ryan Zimmerman for 2nd on club behind Alfonso Soriano (24)...since the Nationals moved to Washington prior to the 2005 season, 17 home runs at RFK rank 2nd behind only Soriano's 24...batted above .300 in April (.341), June (.318) and September/October (.304)...at .304 (43-for-142), batted above .300 against opposing left-handed pitchers for a 3rd straight season...5 home runs against left-handed pitchers were a single-season career high (as were 18 long balls against opposing righthanders)...hit cleanup for Frank Robinson 112 times, going 106-for-380 (.279) with 16 home runs and 65 RBI...finished 7-for-19 (.368) with one walk with the bases loaded...46 doubles and 110 walks established franchise single-season records for a first baseman...struggled with the glove, posting a career-high 15 errors (or one more than his total the previous 3 seasons) to lead all MLB first basemen... when in the starting lineup, Washington went 63-80 (.441).
Game-By-Game Highlights: Down 4-0, sparked eventual 9-5 win on April 5 at NYM with 3-run shot to put the Nationals on the board...one day later, blasted 3-run game-tying homer off Pedro Martinez just one batter after Jose Guillen had been hit by a Martinez pitch...thus, became the franchise's first player to hit 3-run home runs in consecutive games since 2000 (Orlando Cabrera, September 21 vs. FLA, September 22 vs. ATL)...registered a trio of 2-homer games (April 20 at PHI, May 5 vs. PIT and May 28 vs. LAD)...with none on and 2 outs in the bottom of the 10th inning, hit first career game-ending home run in Nationals' 4-3 win on July 1 vs. TBR...laced game-winning 2-run double to snap 4-4 deadlock in 11-inning 8-4 win at PIT on July 16...laced game-winning 2-run single with 2 outs in the 7th innng to snap a 3-3 tie in an eventual 6-5 win vs. SFG on July 27...by going 2-for-4 with a homer and one RBI on September 19 vs. ATL, became the first Washington National to go deep on his birthday...the most recent franchise player to go deep on his birthday was Brad Wilkerson (June 1, 2004 vs. ATL).
Set career highs in games played, hits, home runs RBIs and batting average. ... Was on the disabled list for the seventh consecutive year because of a right heel contusion. ... Recorded a career-high 16 game hitting streak.
In first opportunity as everyday player, suffered through injury-plagued campaign in initial NL season...played in only 73 games (70 starts) due to a lumbar strain and a fractured right cheekbone...Montreal went 33-37 (.471) with Johnson in the starting lineup, 34-58 (.370) when he was not...injured lower back at the tail end of Spring Training and missed the first 46 games of the season...was reinstated from the 15-Day DL on May 28...played excellent defense, posting a .994 fielding percentage...went 8-for-18 with 2 doubles, 2 home runs (including 2nd career grand slam) and 10 RBI, August 10-15, to earn first NL Player of the Week citation...momentum was halted on August 20 by fractured right cheekbone (read above)...as in '03, saw exactly 4.28 pitches per plate appearance in '04...would have ranked 3rd in MLB with enough plate appearances to qualify...only Jamey Carroll (4.38) and Brad Wilkerson (4.29) saw more pitches per at-bat among Expos...however, walk ratio was down...earned one walk every 5.8 plate appearances in '03...that number shrunk to one BB every 7.4 plate appearances in '04...played in first game of season, May 28 at CIN (Montreal went 15-31 in April and May in his absence)...after going 2-for-10 in first 3 games, went 14-for-31 (.452) with 6 doubles, one homer and 3 RBI in his next 9 games...posted a .400 OBP in 29 games through June 29, but struggled thereafter, hitting just .230 with 20 walks the rest of the way...closed strong, going 10-for-27 (.370) with 5 walks in final 9 games...reached base safely at least 2 times in a game 34 times in 70 starts (49%)...swiped 6 bags to match career total entering the season...6 of 7 home runs came off right-handed pitchers (exception was homer off southpaw Eric Milton on June 29 at PHI). Rehab Assignment: Went 6-for-30 (.200) with a double, homer, 5 RBI and 8 walks during his 9-game rehab assignment with Brevard County (6 games) of the Single-A Florida State League and Edmonton (3) of the Triple-A PCL. Game-By-Game Highlights: Collected the first NL hit of career via 5th-inning single, May 29 vs. CIN off Jose Acevedo...finished the game 2-for-4 with a double...flashed renowned batting eye, posting 3 walks, in 3rd game with the club, May 30 vs. CIN...June 5 at CIN, combined with Tony Batista on the Expos' first set of back-to-back homers of '04...down 3-1 with 2 outs in the 9th, Batista homered off Danny Graves...on a full count, Johnson then followed suit with game-tying homer (his first as a National Leaguer) to hand Graves his 5th blown save (CIN prevailed, 6-3)...2-run shot on June 16 vs. MIN off Kyle Loshe was his first homer in Montreal...homered in back-to-back games, August 14-15 vs. HOU...thanks to 2nd career grand slam (off Chad Qualls), posted season-high 4 RBI in an 8-3 win, August 14 at HOU.
Hit .284 (92-for-324) with 14HR and 47RBI in 96 games with the Yankees (60 starts first base, 30 starts at designated hitter).
Led the Yankees with a .422 on-base percentage and drew 70 walks (fourth highest on the team) in only 96 games.
Recorded his first career multi-HR game in 4/21 win at Minnesota, going 3-for-5 with two-run HR (#2), solo HR (#3), RBI single and 1BB...also tied single-game highs with 3R and 4RBI.
Had his streak of 17 consecutive games with a walk snapped in 5/4 loss vs. Oakland when he flied out as PH...was the longest such streak by a Yankee since Willie Randolph also had a streak of 17 straight spanning the 1980 and 1981 seasons.
Was placed on the 15-day disabled list on 5/17 with a stress fracture of the third metacarpal bone of the right hand...was reinstated from the 15-day disabled list on 7/25 (missed 61 games).
In seven rehab games with Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Columbus, batted .455 (10-for-22).
Hit first career grand slam and established career-high with four hits (4-for-5) and 5RBI in 8/8 win vs. Seattle.
Tied a career-high with four hits in 8/30 win at Boston, going 4-for-5 with one double and 4RBI.
Hit solo-HR (#12) and was 2-for-3 with a career-high 4R and 2BB in 9/10 win vs. Detroit.
Recorded career-high seven-game hitting streak from 9/7-13, batting .440 (11-for-25) with 7R, 2HR and 4RBI.
Was selected by the Yankees in the third round of the June 1996 free-agent draft. Contract extends through the 2003 season.
In his first full season at the Major-League level batted .243 (92-for-378) with 15 HR and 58 RBI in 129 games with the Yankees (59 starts first base, 49 starts at designated hitter, one in left field) and was named to the Topps Rookie All-Star Team...recorded first sacrifice hit of his professional career in ninth inning of 4/19 win vs. Toronto...left 5/4 loss vs. Seattle in sixth inning after experiencing pain in right knee (MRI exam was negative with bone bruise)...hit three-run HR and was 1-for-4 with a career-high 4RBI in 5/15 loss vs. Tampa Bay...hit two-run HR-his second in as many games and third in four-game span-and was 2-for-4 with 4 RBI in 5/16 win vs. Tampa Bay...the 4RBI tied a career high (established the previous night 5/15)...had 11 RBI in four games from 5/12-16 after driving in 11 runs in his first 34 games of the season...hit 3-run HR (#11) and tied a career high with three hits (3-for-4 with 1 double) in 6/11 win vs. Arizona...made first career start in left field on 6/18 at Colorado, going 2-for-4 with 1R, 1 double and 1RBI...left 8/7 game vs. KC after two innings after injuring his left wrist while catching a line drive hit by Raul Ibanez in the second inning...underwent MRI and CAT scan examinations on 8/8 at Beth Israel North Hospital, revealing a bone bruise of the left wrist...was placed on 15-day D.L. on 8/10 (retroactive to 8/8) with a left-wrist strain...was reinstated from the 15-day D.L. before 9/3 game vs. Boston (missed 24 games)...on rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus was 1-for-11 in three games...batted .182 (2-for-11) with 1RBI in three Division-Series games ... was recipient of the James P. Dawson Award for 2002 as Yankees' outstanding rookie in spring training (voted by NY baseball writers), batting .272 (22-for-81) with 5HR (to lead club) and 12 RBI in 26 G.
Began the season at Triple-A Columbus, batting .256 (92-for-359) with 18 HR and 49 RBI in 110 games... led the International League with a .407 on-base percentage and paced the Clippers in nine offensive categories including games (110), R (68), total bases (166), OBP, extra-base hits (38), doubles (20), HR, HBP (14), BB, (81), and K (105)...reached base safely in 96 of 100 games...registered a walk in 12 straight games from 4/24-5/6...had season-high eight-game hitting streak from 5/7-15, going 11-for-28 (.393) with four doubles, 2 HR and 8 RBI...placed on the disabled list from 5/18-6/2 with a strained left thumb...was selected as the starting first baseman on the U.S. Team in the 2001 MLB Futures Game in Seattle, WA on 7/8, going 1-for-1 with 1R...selected as the starting first baseman in the Triple-A All-Star Game on 7/11 at Indianapolis...named the IL Batter-of-the-Week for 7/9-7/15 hitting .615 (8-for-13) in five games (6 R, 3 HR, 4 RBI)...reached base seven times in eight plate appearances during a double-header against Richmond on 7/12...collected two two-homer games for the Clippers (7/13 vs. Richmond and 7/29 at Charlotte)...was recalled from Columbus on 8/21...made his Major- League debut and was 2-for-4 with 1 RBI in 8/21 loss at Texas...recorded his first Major-League hit with an RBI single in the second inning and was the first Yankee to collect two hits in his ML debut since 1984 (Mike Pagliarulo on 7/7/84 and Vic Mata on 7/22/84)...hit first ML home runba two-run shot in the second inningband was 2-for-4 in 9/9 win vs. Boston...registered his first career three-hit game on 9/23 at Baltimore, going 3-for-5 with 2 R, 1 double, 1 HR and 3 RBI...hit .194 (13-for-67) with 2 HR and 8 RBI in 23 games with the Yankees (10 starts at designated hitter, six starts at first base)...missed three games with bruised left foot after being hit by pitch in the 13th inning of 9/30 tie vs. Baltimore...did not make any of the Yankees' three post-season rosters...was named Best Defensive First Baseman in the IL for the 2001 season and was ranked the #2 prospect in the Yankee organization by Baseball America.
Missed the entire season with a strained muscle in his right hand...injury occurred on a check swing during 3/10 splitsquad spring training game vs. Cincinnati at Sarasota...was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained muscle in his right hand on 3/25 and was transferred to the 60-day D.L. on 4/30...spent the summer training at the Yankees' minor-league complex, and on 10/31 began hitting off a tee for the first time since his injury...was reinstated from the 60-day D.L. on 11/ 13...was ranked as the #1 prospect in the Yankee organization by Baseball America.
Continued his rise through the Yankee organization, batting .345 with 14 HR and 87 RBI for Double-A Norwich...established career-highs in batting average, games (132), runs (114), hits (145), doubles (33), triples (5), RBI, and walks (123)...his 123 walks and .525 on-base percentage led all minor leaguers...became the only minor-league player this decade to post an on-base percentage of .500 or better in a single season and has now led three different leagues in OBP...also led the Eastern League in batting average and runs...set Eastern League record for times hit-by-pitch (37), shattering the previous record of 23...reached base (by hit, walk or hit by pitch) in 63 consecutive games (5/16-7/27)...the streak ended on 7/29 vs. New Britain when he left the game in the second inning with a stomach virus, having flied out in his only plate appearance...after the streak ended, he reached base in 25 of his next 35 plate appearances...he ended the season reaching base in all but seven of his 132 games...batted .376 (50-for-133) against left- handers...batted .442 (34-for-77) in July...set a Norwich franchise record by scoring at least one run in 11 consecutive games...was named to the Eastern League Mid-Season and Post-Season All-Star Teams, as well as Topps Double-A All-Star First Baseman...played for USA in Futures Game at Fenway Park on 7/11, going 1-for-3...was named Eastern League's Best Defensive First Baseman and ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the Yankee organization by Baseball America...was the co-winner (with D'Angelo Jimenez) of the Yankees' second-annual Kevin Lawn Award as the organization's minor-league players-of-the-Year...participated in Major League Baseball's Rookie Development Program in January.
Named Yankees Minor-League Player-of-the-Year, batting .317 with 17 HR and 58 RBI in 92 games...made 90 starts at first base for Class-A Tampa...his .466 on-base percentage ranked second among all minor leaguers and his .317 BA was good for second among Yankee minor leaguers...was third in the Florida State League in HR/AB Ratio (1/ 17.8 AB)...began the season with a 10-game hitting streak, going 13- for-36 (.361)...missed six weeks of the season with a shoulder contusion...in 15 games from July 20-August 6, he batted .452 (28- for-62) with 6 HR and 14 RBI (including two home runs on 8/ 6)...earned FSL Player-of-the-Week honors from 7/27-8/2, hitting .444 (8-for-18) with 2 doubles and 3 RBI in five games, raising his average to .379...was named third-best prospect in the Florida State League by managers in a Baseball America survey and was honorable mention to Howe Sportsdata's All-Prospect Team at first base...was also named to the All-Teenager team.
Hit a career-high 16 home runs for Class-A Greensboro in his second season of professional baseball...made 126 starts at first base...led the Bats with 16 home runs, 75 RBI, 76 walks, .398 on-base percentage and was tied for second with 77 runs scored.
In his first season of professional baseball, he hit .287 with 2 HR and 33 RBI in 47 games for the Tampa Yankees (Rookie)...led the Gulf Coast League with a .422 on-base percentage.
MLB Career Stats 2698 430 723 95 398 29 .268 .399 .840
Futures Game Selection
1999 Norwich Navigators EAS
2001 Columbus Clippers INT
NL Player of the Week
08/15/2004 Montreal Expos NL
06/06/2005 Washington Nationals NL
2009 6 7th in NL
2009 12 7th in
2006 13 10th in NL
2009 .408 2nd in NL
2009 .426 2nd in
2006 .428 4th in NL
2005 .887 21st in NL
2006 100 17th in NL
2006 .520 18th in NL
2009 .291 25th in
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November 3, 2012 1B Nick Johnson elected free agency.
October 29, 2012 Baltimore Orioles activated 1B Nick Johnson from the 60-day disabled list.
July 17, 2012 Baltimore Orioles transferred 1B Nick Johnson from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list.
June 28, 2012 Baltimore Orioles placed 1B Nick Johnson on the 15-day disabled list. Sprained right wrist.
April 4, 2012 Baltimore Orioles selected the contract of Nick Johnson from Norfolk Tides.
February 10, 2012 Baltimore Orioles signed free agent Nick Johnson.
February 10, 2012 Norfolk Tides signed free agent Nick Johnson.
February 10, 2012 1B Nick Johnson roster status changed by Baltimore Orioles.
July 15, 2011 Columbus Clippers activated 1B Nick Johnson from the 7-day disabled list.
July 7, 2011 Columbus Clippers placed 1B Nick Johnson on the 7-day disabled list.
June 7, 2011 1B Nick Johnson assigned to Columbus Clippers from Akron Aeros.
June 3, 2011 Nick Johnson assigned to Akron Aeros from Columbus Clippers.
April 7, 2011 Nick Johnson assigned to Columbus Clippers.
March 7, 2011 Cleveland Indians signed free agent 1B Nick Johnson to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.
November 7, 2010 DH Nick Johnson elected free agency.
May 20, 2010 New York Yankees transferred DH Nick Johnson from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list.
May 8, 2010 New York Yankees placed 1B Nick Johnson on the 15-day disabled list. Inflamed tendon in his right wrist.
December 23, 2009 New York Yankees signed free agent 1B Nick Johnson.
September 3, 2009 Florida Marlins activated 1B Nick Johnson from the 15-day disabled list.
September 1, 2009 sent 1B Nick Johnson on a rehab assignment to Jupiter Hammerheads.
August 26, 2009 Florida Marlins placed 1B Nick Johnson on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to August 17, 2009. Strained right hamstring.
August 1, 2009 Florida Marlins activated 1B Nick Johnson.
July 31, 2009 Washington Nationals Traded 1B Nick Johnson to Florida Marlins and Jacksonville Suns Traded LHP Aaron Thompson to Nationals Organization.