By Cooper Chadwick
Batting .375 with nine RBIs early in the season, junior Bladen Johnson has been a steady presence at the plate for Minneapolis.
Johnson plays first base and pitches for Minneapolis and has high expectations for himself this season.
“I want to be able to strike people out when I get on the mound, and on the offensive side of baseball, I want to have double-digit RBIs by the end of this year,” Johnson said.
Now in his first year as an upperclassman, Johnson is embracing the opportunity to take on a larger role.
“I was excited about just being able to play baseball; it’s really fun, and nothing is better than being with your friends and playing a sport you love,” Johnson said.
Johnson is also team-focused and has high hopes for what the season could bring.
“Some goals I have for the team are that I want to make a deep state run. We have the right guys to do it, and our record might not show it, but we are a good baseball team, and if we keep working hard, we’re going to do good things come playoff time,” Johnson said.
Last season, Johnson batted .214 with nine hits and two doubles. This season, his role and production have grown.
“When I get up to the plate and there are runners in scoring position, my coaches know I’m going to drive them in,” Johnson said.
Johnson’s college plans are undecided, but he would like to continue his baseball career at the next level.
“I’ve loved playing it since I was a little kid, so I have a lot of love for the game,” Johnson said.
