- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Cam Johnson's decision to come to LSU.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 9:25 am
Posted on 1/15/24 at 9:25 am
LINK
Very good article. So lucky we actually got him to campus.
Very good article. So lucky we actually got him to campus.
This post was edited on 1/15/24 at 9:31 am
7
Posted on 1/15/24 at 9:27 am to thumperpait
quote:
Can Johnson's decision to come to LSU.
Can his decision...what?
Kidding but can we get some cliffs cuz its behind a paywall
This post was edited on 1/15/24 at 9:28 am
Posted on 1/15/24 at 9:36 am to thumperpait
He seems like a great kid from a great family. Makes me pull for him even more now. Thanks for posting
Posted on 1/15/24 at 9:41 am to Bert Macklin FBI
This was not the path Cam Johnson expected to be on. But it was the path that he chose.
Days earlier, Johnson thought he'd be a first-round pick, on the verge of signing a contract worth millions of dollars and hopping on a course set to the major leagues.
But that's not where he and his family found themselves in the aftermath of the frenzy that was the 2023 MLB draft.
"Initially, Cam was disappointed," his father, Steve Johnson, said. "And the reason he didn't sign a pro contract is (because) we turned down a few offers in the first round. And we were firm that if they didn't meet our number that we go to college.
"And Cam was very comfortable with that."
Instead, Johnson finds himself at LSU, joining the reigning national champions as the No. 1 freshman in the nation heading into the 2024 season, according to Perfect Game.
He has a fastball that can reach 97 mph from the left side, a rarity in the sport, especially from an 18-year-old.
"It's left-handed. It's from a big body so you're dealing with a tough angle from the top, a tough angle from the side," LSU coach Jay Johnson said. "(The fastball) is up to 97 mph with all kinds of movement and he just pounds the strike zone."
Cam Johnson photo
LSU freshman left-handed pitcher Cam Johnson throwing at Alex Box Stadium during the fall of 2023 | Photo by: Courtney Howell, LSU Athletics
Courtesy of LSU Athletics
After his first semester with LSU, Johnson and his family know they made the right decision. Coming to LSU was always more of a Plan 1A than a Plan B for the Johnsons, despite the allure of MLB.
But for Johnson and his family, that peace of mind didn't make those three days in July any less stressful.
"It was crazy," he said.
Before the draft
MLB scouts began to show interest in Johnson as a potential draft prospect when he pitched at the 2021 WWBA World Championship tournament in Jupiter, Florida, the July following his sophomore year.
That showcase became a seminal moment in Johnson's young career, as it was also when he and his family agreed to have Tom O'Connell, an MLB player agent, become his MLB draft advisor.
"He's my guy who is always right by my side, no matter what," Johnson said. "I feel like anything that comes down the wire, he's the right person to handle it.
"When I text him he's always calling me. He's really accountable and I have a lot of trust in him."
Only two days after that event was when Johnson decided to decommit from Maryland — he grew up in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and committed to the Terrapins before his sophomore year. It's also roughly around the same time he started building a relationship with LSU.
Johnson's father remembers Jay and LSU's staff going above and beyond during their family's visit to Baton Rouge, one of only two visits the family made after Johnson's decommitment from Maryland. He eventually committed to LSU in November of his junior year.
A high bar had been set for MLB teams to pass.
"When we first visited LSU, I fell in love with LSU myself," Johnson's father said. "Just with the people, the environment, the friendliness."
Finding Cam's worth
By Johnson's senior season, the interest coming from MLB teams regarding him was getting intense. His schedule at IMG Academy, where he pitched his senior year, was even adjusted so that he could meet with two or three MLB teams at least once a week.
That interest prompted Johnson, his family and O'Connell to begin assessing two related questions:
1. When could he get drafted?
2. What was his signing number?
To answer those questions, they began to compare him to previously drafted players with a similar profile to him.
One of those players was Brandon Barriera, a left-handed pitcher the Toronto Blue Jays selected with the No. 23 overall pick in the 2022 MLB draft.
Barriera was also in high school when he signed a $3.579 million bonus with the Blue Jays. The contract he signed was an over-slot deal, meaning that he inked a contract that was worth more than the dollar value MLB assigned to the pick.
The bar Barriera and others set helped determine where Johnson could be selected, the mid-to-late first and early second round. But it wasn't the only factor for the Johnsons when assessing a signing number for their son.
Part of their calculation was also the value of a college education, even if Johnson's father admits that was almost impossible to do.
"It's invaluable to me... we wanted him to have a fallback and have other interests and other things as part of his life," Johnson's father said. "We said, 'You know, you may meet your wife at LSU or some of your best friends are going to be from college.' "
Other factors in their calculation included the literal cost of going to college, including inflation; the financial opportunities for Johnson over the next 10 years of his professional career after college; and the tax implications that would come with whichever team he would potentially sign with.
"Well, if you're a Florida resident and you're on a team that has a facility in Arizona, what's the impact?" the elder Johnson said.
"Well, they pay out. Teams pay out differently so you look at how they pay out and consider that as a part of your number."
All of these elements created a range of numbers that determined Johnson's worth. It was then up to O'Connell to negotiate with teams based on that scale.
The Johnsons had unwavering faith in O'Connell to stick to their evaluations. The elder Johnson remembers O'Connell, who represents Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Zach Eflin among other major leaguers, being instrumental in their decision to stay firm with their number(s) and not potentially devalue their son.
"Tom didn't need to necessarily convince us. We talked about the risk. And if you think about it, the risk is Cameron goes to LSU," Johnson's father said. "So was that really a risk?... The other risk is that he gets hurt. Well, he can get hurt in minor league ball. So the benefits that we would achieve by going to college significantly outweighed any risk of signing a pro contract below value."
Days earlier, Johnson thought he'd be a first-round pick, on the verge of signing a contract worth millions of dollars and hopping on a course set to the major leagues.
But that's not where he and his family found themselves in the aftermath of the frenzy that was the 2023 MLB draft.
"Initially, Cam was disappointed," his father, Steve Johnson, said. "And the reason he didn't sign a pro contract is (because) we turned down a few offers in the first round. And we were firm that if they didn't meet our number that we go to college.
"And Cam was very comfortable with that."
Instead, Johnson finds himself at LSU, joining the reigning national champions as the No. 1 freshman in the nation heading into the 2024 season, according to Perfect Game.
He has a fastball that can reach 97 mph from the left side, a rarity in the sport, especially from an 18-year-old.
"It's left-handed. It's from a big body so you're dealing with a tough angle from the top, a tough angle from the side," LSU coach Jay Johnson said. "(The fastball) is up to 97 mph with all kinds of movement and he just pounds the strike zone."
Cam Johnson photo
LSU freshman left-handed pitcher Cam Johnson throwing at Alex Box Stadium during the fall of 2023 | Photo by: Courtney Howell, LSU Athletics
Courtesy of LSU Athletics
After his first semester with LSU, Johnson and his family know they made the right decision. Coming to LSU was always more of a Plan 1A than a Plan B for the Johnsons, despite the allure of MLB.
But for Johnson and his family, that peace of mind didn't make those three days in July any less stressful.
"It was crazy," he said.
Before the draft
MLB scouts began to show interest in Johnson as a potential draft prospect when he pitched at the 2021 WWBA World Championship tournament in Jupiter, Florida, the July following his sophomore year.
That showcase became a seminal moment in Johnson's young career, as it was also when he and his family agreed to have Tom O'Connell, an MLB player agent, become his MLB draft advisor.
"He's my guy who is always right by my side, no matter what," Johnson said. "I feel like anything that comes down the wire, he's the right person to handle it.
"When I text him he's always calling me. He's really accountable and I have a lot of trust in him."
Only two days after that event was when Johnson decided to decommit from Maryland — he grew up in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and committed to the Terrapins before his sophomore year. It's also roughly around the same time he started building a relationship with LSU.
Johnson's father remembers Jay and LSU's staff going above and beyond during their family's visit to Baton Rouge, one of only two visits the family made after Johnson's decommitment from Maryland. He eventually committed to LSU in November of his junior year.
A high bar had been set for MLB teams to pass.
"When we first visited LSU, I fell in love with LSU myself," Johnson's father said. "Just with the people, the environment, the friendliness."
Finding Cam's worth
By Johnson's senior season, the interest coming from MLB teams regarding him was getting intense. His schedule at IMG Academy, where he pitched his senior year, was even adjusted so that he could meet with two or three MLB teams at least once a week.
That interest prompted Johnson, his family and O'Connell to begin assessing two related questions:
1. When could he get drafted?
2. What was his signing number?
To answer those questions, they began to compare him to previously drafted players with a similar profile to him.
One of those players was Brandon Barriera, a left-handed pitcher the Toronto Blue Jays selected with the No. 23 overall pick in the 2022 MLB draft.
Barriera was also in high school when he signed a $3.579 million bonus with the Blue Jays. The contract he signed was an over-slot deal, meaning that he inked a contract that was worth more than the dollar value MLB assigned to the pick.
The bar Barriera and others set helped determine where Johnson could be selected, the mid-to-late first and early second round. But it wasn't the only factor for the Johnsons when assessing a signing number for their son.
Part of their calculation was also the value of a college education, even if Johnson's father admits that was almost impossible to do.
"It's invaluable to me... we wanted him to have a fallback and have other interests and other things as part of his life," Johnson's father said. "We said, 'You know, you may meet your wife at LSU or some of your best friends are going to be from college.' "
Other factors in their calculation included the literal cost of going to college, including inflation; the financial opportunities for Johnson over the next 10 years of his professional career after college; and the tax implications that would come with whichever team he would potentially sign with.
"Well, if you're a Florida resident and you're on a team that has a facility in Arizona, what's the impact?" the elder Johnson said.
"Well, they pay out. Teams pay out differently so you look at how they pay out and consider that as a part of your number."
All of these elements created a range of numbers that determined Johnson's worth. It was then up to O'Connell to negotiate with teams based on that scale.
The Johnsons had unwavering faith in O'Connell to stick to their evaluations. The elder Johnson remembers O'Connell, who represents Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Zach Eflin among other major leaguers, being instrumental in their decision to stay firm with their number(s) and not potentially devalue their son.
"Tom didn't need to necessarily convince us. We talked about the risk. And if you think about it, the risk is Cameron goes to LSU," Johnson's father said. "So was that really a risk?... The other risk is that he gets hurt. Well, he can get hurt in minor league ball. So the benefits that we would achieve by going to college significantly outweighed any risk of signing a pro contract below value."
Posted on 1/15/24 at 9:44 am to Bert Macklin FBI
Staying resilient
It wasn't always easy for the family to stick to their guns, especially for Johnson. At one point during the draft he asked O'Connell to call a team back and possibly reconsider an offer the family had already turned down.
He was quickly talked out of the idea, but Johnson's father still remembers how difficult it was for his son to watch his friends — Blake Mitchell (Kansas City Royals, No. 8 overall), Noble Meyer (Miami Marlins, No. 10) and Bryce Eldridge (San Francisco Giants, No. 16) — get drafted in the first round while his name was not getting called.
"For an 18-year-old kid, to see his buddies go, knowing what kind of talent and what kind of performance he had in high school, in particular his senior year and in the summers, he thought he should've (been picked already)," the elder Johnson said. "We all did."
Ultimately, the Johnson family and O'Connell stayed true to their word, even while many of their contemporaries — from high school and college — were getting drafted and eventually signing under-slot deals.
Out of 39 players selected in the first round, 22 signed under-slot deals with teams.
"It was hectic, especially that first night," Johnson said. "I was getting calls and teams in the first round were offering and we were like 'Hey, this is not our number,' and I was like, 'Dang, that's a lot of money.'
"But you have to realize in the (long run) that's (might be) the only contract you're getting with that amount of money."
NIL was also a factor, but Johnson said it was not discussed much until the end of the second day of the draft when it became clear that he was likely going to LSU.
Johnson was eventually selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 20th round of the draft. But by that point, he almost certainly knew his future was at LSU and his dream of playing professional baseball would be placed on hold.
For Jay and LSU fans, this news was an outcome that almost nobody expected.
In the past, LSU signees who were projected first-round picks usually never step foot on campus after they are selected. For Dylan Crews, a projected first-round pick in the 2020 draft, passing up MLB in favor of LSU was more of an exception.
According to MLB.com, Johnson was the highest-ranked prospect in the draft — high school or college — who didn't sign with an MLB team.
"Cam sneaking through, squeezing through the draft is probably one of the bigger surprises in my coaching career relative to a player showing up at school," Jay said last August. "I mean, I had no thought of him showing up, basically because of the talent."
The aftermath
Little about Johnson's decision to turn down MLB was easy. But what has come easily is his enjoyment of life at LSU the last few months.
He believes he's already improved as a pitcher since arriving in Baton Rouge and working under new pitching coach Nate Yeskie.
Yeskie has helped improve Johnson's slider by instructing him to throw it with more velocity — therefore creating sharper movement with the pitch — and has taught him valuable tips on how to control runners on base better while on the mound.
"Coach Yeskie, man, it's unbelievable," he said. "I'm getting the best type of instruction and development here."
There is no guarantee for what the future holds for Johnson, or, for that matter, any of the 2023 MLB draft prospects.
But for the now LSU Tiger, there is one thing he knows for certain: He's happy with the path he chose.
"I know he loves (being at LSU)," his father said. "He loves the coaches, loves his teammates. It seems like he's built a lot of friendships quickly, which I'm really happy about."
It wasn't always easy for the family to stick to their guns, especially for Johnson. At one point during the draft he asked O'Connell to call a team back and possibly reconsider an offer the family had already turned down.
He was quickly talked out of the idea, but Johnson's father still remembers how difficult it was for his son to watch his friends — Blake Mitchell (Kansas City Royals, No. 8 overall), Noble Meyer (Miami Marlins, No. 10) and Bryce Eldridge (San Francisco Giants, No. 16) — get drafted in the first round while his name was not getting called.
"For an 18-year-old kid, to see his buddies go, knowing what kind of talent and what kind of performance he had in high school, in particular his senior year and in the summers, he thought he should've (been picked already)," the elder Johnson said. "We all did."
Ultimately, the Johnson family and O'Connell stayed true to their word, even while many of their contemporaries — from high school and college — were getting drafted and eventually signing under-slot deals.
Out of 39 players selected in the first round, 22 signed under-slot deals with teams.
"It was hectic, especially that first night," Johnson said. "I was getting calls and teams in the first round were offering and we were like 'Hey, this is not our number,' and I was like, 'Dang, that's a lot of money.'
"But you have to realize in the (long run) that's (might be) the only contract you're getting with that amount of money."
NIL was also a factor, but Johnson said it was not discussed much until the end of the second day of the draft when it became clear that he was likely going to LSU.
Johnson was eventually selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 20th round of the draft. But by that point, he almost certainly knew his future was at LSU and his dream of playing professional baseball would be placed on hold.
For Jay and LSU fans, this news was an outcome that almost nobody expected.
In the past, LSU signees who were projected first-round picks usually never step foot on campus after they are selected. For Dylan Crews, a projected first-round pick in the 2020 draft, passing up MLB in favor of LSU was more of an exception.
According to MLB.com, Johnson was the highest-ranked prospect in the draft — high school or college — who didn't sign with an MLB team.
"Cam sneaking through, squeezing through the draft is probably one of the bigger surprises in my coaching career relative to a player showing up at school," Jay said last August. "I mean, I had no thought of him showing up, basically because of the talent."
The aftermath
Little about Johnson's decision to turn down MLB was easy. But what has come easily is his enjoyment of life at LSU the last few months.
He believes he's already improved as a pitcher since arriving in Baton Rouge and working under new pitching coach Nate Yeskie.
Yeskie has helped improve Johnson's slider by instructing him to throw it with more velocity — therefore creating sharper movement with the pitch — and has taught him valuable tips on how to control runners on base better while on the mound.
"Coach Yeskie, man, it's unbelievable," he said. "I'm getting the best type of instruction and development here."
There is no guarantee for what the future holds for Johnson, or, for that matter, any of the 2023 MLB draft prospects.
But for the now LSU Tiger, there is one thing he knows for certain: He's happy with the path he chose.
"I know he loves (being at LSU)," his father said. "He loves the coaches, loves his teammates. It seems like he's built a lot of friendships quickly, which I'm really happy about."
Posted on 1/15/24 at 9:44 am to thumperpait
Sorry about that. Just went into detail about what happened during the draft. Had a high number and stuck with it. Saw his friends he played with getting drafted high.
His dad going into detail about getting a college education. He could get hurt in the minors as easily as in college. But at least he had a education to fall back on in a worst case scenario.
His dad going into detail about getting a college education. He could get hurt in the minors as easily as in college. But at least he had a education to fall back on in a worst case scenario.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 9:56 am to thumperpait
The craziest part of that article is that he had an agent that didn't press for him to lower his number just so he could get a cut. Maybe thats not rare but I would think that an agent would be greedier than that.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 9:59 am to americanlsufan
Sounds like he comes from a good family. Love this kid already.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 10:00 am to Bert Macklin FBI
My mechanic changes my oil for free, and when it comes time for a repair I never price shop elsewhere.
The cut of Cam’s 2nd and 3rd contract will more than make up for the 3 year delay in getting a cut from the first one.
The cut of Cam’s 2nd and 3rd contract will more than make up for the 3 year delay in getting a cut from the first one.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 10:19 am to Cryin Kelly
quote:
My mechanic changes my oil for free, and when it comes time for a repair I never price shop elsewhere.
The cut of Cam’s 2nd and 3rd contract will more than make up for the 3 year delay in getting a cut from the first one.
Yeah I understand the long term thinking, I just view agents as slimy used car salesman and maybe my bias is incorrect. But I think that most agents would press their guys to sign because the money is on the table and going to college is a risk. What if he goes to LSU and loses money like the CF/football player that I am blanking on his name (Hampton maybe?). I would think that agents would rather a dollar today than risking losing that dollar for $10 tomorrow.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 10:24 am to americanlsufan
Damn, kid hasnt thrown a pitch in a game and hes already becoming one of my new favorites. Looking forward to watching him deal
Posted on 1/15/24 at 10:45 am to thumperpait
I'm glad he made it to campus. I have to think its more enjoyable to hang out at LSU and develop for a few years than being in the minors. The money will still be there if you put the work in.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 10:46 am to Bert Macklin FBI
quote:
Kidding but can we get some cliffs cuz its behind a paywall
If you open the article on your phone in Safari and click on reading mode at the top you can read the whole thing without the paywall.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 10:54 am to Bert Macklin FBI
I guess it just really depends on the agent. A higher end agent isn't going to be desperate for a 500k payday today when he's already worth 50 million dollars. He can wait a few years for that 3 million dollar cut.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 11:07 am to Cryin Kelly
quote:
My mechanic changes my oil for free, and when it comes time for a repair I never price shop elsewhere.
The cut of Cam’s 2nd and 3rd contract will more than make up for the 3 year delay in getting a cut from the first one.
100%. Just rare to see that type of long-view consultative approach vs the transactional approach more typical of sports agents.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 12:17 pm to thumperpait
"We wanted him to have a fallback and have other interests and other things as part of his life," Johnson's father said. "We said, 'You know, you may meet your wife at LSU or some of your best friends are going to be from college."
This is one the great tragedies of NIL. A lot of these kids are going to miss out on what college is all about - sports star or not. Finding lifelong friends, meeting your girl, being part of a big family and getting a degree. That's what happens when it's all about the money. And it's a shame.
That said, I'd have gone and lived on an island in Siberia for 4 years if you paid me $1MM annually as a freshman
This is one the great tragedies of NIL. A lot of these kids are going to miss out on what college is all about - sports star or not. Finding lifelong friends, meeting your girl, being part of a big family and getting a degree. That's what happens when it's all about the money. And it's a shame.
That said, I'd have gone and lived on an island in Siberia for 4 years if you paid me $1MM annually as a freshman
Posted on 1/15/24 at 12:18 pm to DeathByTossDive225
Going to LSU as a top notch base ball player has tremendous value that can not be replaced by being in the minors for 2 or 3 years.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 12:38 pm to FlyFishinTiger
he'll get 10x the volume and quality putty tang he'll ever get roaming around the backwoods of rural US playing ball. Good move...come to college, party, have lots of sex, become a god...than work.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 1:08 pm to ShlikStyck
One of the weirdest things about this board is the general obsession with the sex lives of the athletes.
It’s very strange.
It’s very strange.
Posted on 1/15/24 at 1:12 pm to Russianblue
quote:
I'd have gone and lived on an island in Siberia for 4 years if you paid me $1MM annually as a freshman
I think you’d have still met your girl padnuh.
Page 1 of 2
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News