CARY, N.C. - In the world of sports, where players often jump around, Erik Johnson’s campaign with USA Baseball is a true testament to the passion and dedication that baseball demands. Since 1985, Johnson has transformed from a player and a coach into a crucial member of the USA Baseball Task Force, which demonstrates growth and advancement that many others only dream of.
Johnson began his baseball career with stints on Little League World Series rosters, which led to an increased sense of passion for the sport of baseball.
After enjoying a successful high school career at De La Salle, where he was a three-time all-conference selection, Johnson was selected by the New York Yankees in the 1986 MLB Draft and then was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 18th round of the 1987 MLB Draft.
Johnson would go on to play professional baseball for 10 years, including two seasons in the majors with the San Francisco Giants in 1993 and 1994.. He also played professionally in the Texas Rangers, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Miami Marlins organizations.
Before his professional career began, Johnson was selected to be a member of the 1985 Collegiate National Team that competed in Canada, which marked his first stint with USA Baseball. While in Canada, Johnson was efficient at the plate as he worked his way to a .267 batting average.
After his playing days were over, Johnson quickly made his way into the coaching ranks where he has prior experience at the National Team Identification Series (NTIS). Since the inception of the NTIS, which came in 2007, Johnson served as a coach of the Northern California region for a decade, and soon became a scouting director with the Northwest Region.
Johnson credits his time in the big leagues for his growth and development into being a coach while also stating that it took a different level of understanding to transform into the coach that he is today.
“Playing in the majors has been a huge help for me. As you make your way through the system, from rookie ball to the big leagues, it helps you understand the process. You understand as a coach, evaluator, and a national team coach. After I served on the National Team staff for a few years, I understood the game better from a different perspective. And like everything, I put all of my effort into it.”
Additionally, he made his national team coaching debut with USA Baseball in 2020 with the 12U National Team and has been a part of numerous national team coaching staffs since then.
Now, Johnson has shifted his focus to being a member of the Task Force at the 2024 11U NTIS Champions Cup where he and other members will identify 12 of the top athletes who will be invited to the 2025 12U National Team Training Camp.
Although this isn’t Johnson’s first time at the NTIS, he knew he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to participate in a USA Baseball event once again.
“I know that every time that I am asked to be a part of something with USA Baseball that I’m going to do it. I’ll do anything for my country from a baseball perspective. USA Baseball has done so much for my career personally as a player and a coach. Being at events like this is just my way of giving back to the game. I’m very appreciative of the opportunities that USA Baseball has provided."
Asked what it means to be a part of an organization like USA Baseball, Johnson shared that experiencing competition on the national stage from both perspectives is an accolade that possesses an immense significance.
“It’s beautiful. When you represent your country as a player, and then get the opportunity to do it as a coach it is truly special. We had the chance to develop young men and compete for a gold medal. There’s nothing better than that. There truly isn’t. To help USA Baseball is always an honor and a privilege. I appreciate it. I will do anything that I can do for this place in the future for sure.”
Although his playing days are over, Johnson acknowledges that he can still give back to the game that made him into the man that he is today. This week, Johnson and the rest of the Task Force will carefully evaluate players at the 11U NTIS Champions Cup in hopes of finding the best athletes to represent the red, white, and blue.
“I love the game and I’m passionate. I love to teach and grow baseball as a whole. There are a lot of new and old school practices when it comes to me. I believe when you love something, you need to keep coming back and give back to the next generation. I’m a giver and I like to help people so that’s why I do it.”
