Senior catcher and infielder Ryan Johnson steals second base Feb. 19, at Eddy D. Field. Johnson had a perfect batting average Feb. 19. Photo by Ashley Paulsen
Pepperdine Baseball went 24-26 in the 2022 season, but players and coaches said the Waves expect to be more competitive in 2023 due to the impact of newcomers and development of returning players.
Amidst the development of the returning players, senior catcher and infielder Ryan Johnson has excelled with a slash line .363 OB/.474 SLG. Johnson’s slugging percentage is No. 34 in the NCAA, but was once No. 2 in the early stages of the season.
“[I’ve] changed my approach,” Johnson said. “That’s the biggest thing I worked on — some swing changes. I’m swinging at less balls, and it’s helped a lot. I’m just gonna keep it going.”
In the first three games, Johnson had five home runs and eleven runs batted in. Over the course of the fourteen games played thus far, he has 10 HR’s and 37 RBI’s.
“I was tracking pitches really well during that stretch,” Johnson said, “I felt locked in.”
Where His Journey Began
Johnson said he started playing baseball at the age of 5. He enjoyed playing all sports, but baseball stood out to him.
Growing up as a Diamondbacks fan and watching players like Paul Goldshmidt and Nick Ahmed pulled him closer to the game. Johnson said he admires Ahmed’s defensive ability, as it is something he said he’s always striving to improve year-round.
“I like looking at Big League hitters and taking little things from each of them because they are the best in the world at what we do,” Johnson said.
Johnson attended Seton Catholic Preparatory High School and played three years of varsity baseball. He hit .442 with a .553 OBP, 76 hits, 79 RBI and 13 home runs, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
In high school, Johnson said he dedicated a lot of his time to the weight room when he was not on the diamond or playing golf. Lifting helped him make tremendous strides in his game and set him up for Division I baseball, Johnson said.
“Regardless of season, I made sure to get my reps in, whether it be lifting, defense, hitting or on the mental side,” Johnson said. “That’s a lot of what we focus on here at Pepperdine too.”
Recruiting Process
Head Coach Rick Hirtensteiner and Hitting Coach Danny Worth drove to Arizona to watch Johnson play. Worth said he was dominant as he had five hits the first day they scouted him and two home runs the following evening.
“His high school coaches all had good things to say about Johnson as a ballplayer and as a person,” Worth said.
On the flip side, Johnson said he was impressed by the coaching staff when visiting Pepperdine.
“What stood out here were the coaches,” Johnson said. “It’s one of the best aspects of this program.”
Worth said, after driving out to Arizona and getting the opportunity to talk to him, the coaches knew Johnson would be the perfect fit.
“Fast forward four years, and he’s exactly what we thought he would be,” Worth said.
What Separates Ryan Johnson
Johnson has played 110 consecutive games splitting time at catcher and infield. Johnson is yet to miss a game for the Waves. Worth said he sees resemblances between Johnson and his old MLB teammate, Brandon Inge.
“Inge started as a catcher and transitioned to third base — a similar path to Ryan,” Worth said. “They are both athletic catchers who have the ability to flash some leather in the infield and hit for power.”
During his time at Pepperdine, Johnson said he has proved his tenacity. Weight training has served as a medium for him to stay durable throughout the long season, which is of great value to any organization, Johnson said.
“I take pride in being tough on the diamond. Tougher than the guy next to me. Tougher than the guy I am playing,” Johnson said.
Senior pitcher Jack Chester said Johnson is a huge part of coordinating their defense and making sure everyone is on the same page.
“His presence as a leader in the clubhouse and on the field will be missed,” Chester said.
Pepperdine Baseball continues WCC play in a three-game series versus Gonzaga beginning on March 24.
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Contact Nick Shea via email: nicholas.shea@pepperdine.edu
