The MLB Draft is special for any young player selected. This week, 615 players from the high school and college ranks were drafted by the 30 major league teams to start their professional careers. Dreams came true this week.
It is especially special when a player is drafted by a local team, meaning he can stay close to home near friends and family.
Luke Johnson is a 6-foot-1, 195-pound right-hander out of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County who the Nationals selected with their 10th-round pick, No. 290 overall.
The 22-year-old is native of Lewes, Del., and went to Cape Henlopen High School, just a couple of hours east of Washington, D.C. He then played three years of college ball at UMBC, just 45 minutes up the road from Nationals Park.
Johnson started his college career as a two-way player at UMBC. He slashed .250/.313/.386 with a .699 OPS, seven doubles, one triple, three home runs and 24 RBIs in 97 games over his first three seasons while playing all over the field. And although he did take three at-bats, he made the transformation as a full-time pitcher for his senior season.
