Johnson joins PCL All-Star staff
Johnson, 40, becomes the sixth member of a Salt Lake coaching staff to be selected to participate on the PCL's All-Star team, with Bees pitching coach Erik Bennett selected most recently in 2010.
The game, presented by Zions Banks and Workers Compensation Fund, will air live on MLB Network on Wednesday, July 13 from Spring Mobile Ballpark in Salt Lake City.
Johnson, in his fourth season as a manager in the Angels organization, previously spent two seasons with Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga (2009-10) and one season with Class A Cedar Rapids (2008). In those three seasons, he compiled a 211-207 (.505) record while also leading his teams into the playoffs all three seasons.
Johnson has also served as hitting coach at three different levels for the Angels, with Double-A Arkansas from 2006-07, Short-Season Orem in 2005 and the Angels' Rookie-level affiliate in the Arizona League in 2004.
Salt Lake's first former player to become manager, Johnson enjoyed an 11-year professional playing career including stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization (1993-98, 2001), Arizona Diamondbacks organization (1999) and Anaheim Angels organization (2000, 2002-03). In 1,340 Minor League games, he hit .262 with 125 home runs and 640 RBIs while making his Major League debut with the Angels in 2000.
Johnson spent both the 2002 and 2003 seasons in Salt Lake, totaling a .283 average with 26 home runs and 120 RBIs. Originally drafted by the Dodgers in the fourth round of the 1992 Draft out of University of Pacific, Johnson retired following the 2003 season. He is a native of Hanford, Calif. and currently resides in Park City, Utah with his wife, Malena, and their four children.
Tickets for the 2011 Triple-A All-Star Game and Home Run Derby are currently available at the Spring Mobile Ballpark box office, online at slbees.com, and by calling (801) 325-BASE.