FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHAPMAN’S HARD-THROWING RIGHT-HANDER JOHNSON SELECTED BY METS

ORANGE, Calif. – Chapman University right-hander Kyle Johnson was selected by the New York Mets in Major League Baseball’s First-Year Player Draft on Wednesday. Johnson was taken in the 46th round and 1,379th pick overall. He becomes the sixth Panther taken in the MLB Draft since 1999 and the fifth pitcher from Chapman.

Johnson, a junior, put up impressive numbers in three years at Chapman, primarily as a reliever. In 22 career appearances, he posted a 2-2 record and 3.80 ERA. Most impressive has been his velocity, which scouts have clocked in the low to mid-90’s. The 6-3, 225-pound righty struck out 54 batters in 47.1 innings in his career and held opponents to just a .205 batting average.

The junior was 2-1 in five spot starts for Chapman in 2006, helping the Panthers to their third West Region title in four years and a third place finish at the Division III championships.

###