Looks like the fourth time's the charm for BYU's Leon Johnson.
The speedy Cougar outfielder will trade in Cougar blue for Cub blue after being selected in the 10th round (307th overall) Friday of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Chicago Cubs.
"I was really hoping the Cubs would take me," said Johnson, who recently completed his sophomore season at BYU. "I'm very happy. The Cubs are the family's team. My dad wanted us to follow the Cubs all of our lives."
What was dad's reaction to his son being taken by his beloved Cubbies?
"Well, my dad's a little jaded right now because of the way the season's going," Johnson said with a laugh.
Johnson had been drafted three previous times — once while he was serving an LDS mission — by the same team, the Tampa Bay Devils Rays but decided each time not to sign.
This time he will. Johnson said he expected to sign a contract with the Cubs on Friday night.
"The three previous times I was drafted it was cool, but I knew I wasn't going to sign," he explained. "It was a lot different this time, watching every round on TV, keeping my fingers crossed."
Out of high school, the Thatcher, Ariz., native was taken in the 41st round in 2003 before playing a season at Eastern Arizona College. Johnson was picked again in 2005 in the 45th round while he was serving an LDS mission to Russia Novosibirsk (Siberia). A year ago, prior to his first season at BYU, he was selected in the 29th round.
BYU coach Vance Law called Johnson on Friday not long after he was picked by the Cubs.
"I wished him the best," Law said. "We recommended that if this is his dream, to play pro baseball, this is his time to go. He's got a lot of untapped potential waiting to develop. The scouts many times will draft on potential. There's not a lot of guys who can run like Leon."
Johnson has been clocked at 4.4 in the 40-yard dash and stole a team-high 29 bases last season. His speed on the basepaths and ability to track down fly balls in the outfield are among his prized attributes.
As per draft rules, teams cannot draft freshmen and sophomores. However, a player is eligible when he turns 21, regardless of his class, and Johnson is 21.
Also on Friday, one of Johnson's BYU teammates, senior pitcher Jesse Craig, was taken in the 17th round by the Cincinnati Reds. As reported in the Deseret Morning News on Thursday, Craig had decided earlier in the week not to pursue a professional baseball career because his wife is pregnant. The couple is expecting twins at the end of August.
Craig had informed a few big league clubs of his decision not to play, but he hadn't spoken to the Cincinnati Reds until after the Reds selected him.
"Obviously, I'm happy that I got taken," Craig said. "But my feelings haven't changed at all. (The Reds) asked if there was anything they could do to help change my mind. I said no. They said they'd get back to me."
Law understands Craig's decision to forgo his baseball career.
"I respect what he's doing. He's putting his family first," he said. "But I do believe he has the ability to pitch at the major league level."
Craig found out about being drafted from BYU teammate J.D. Stambaugh, who sent him a text message. Stambaugh was later drafted in the 25th round, 772nd overall by the Cardinals.
Another Cougar, outfielder Collin Fanning, was taken by the Cardinals in the 36th round, while Utah infielder Jay Brossman was selected by the Angels four picks later.
E-mail: jeffc@desnews.com