▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁ML B ▁draft ▁but ▁did ▁not ▁sign , ▁choosing ▁to ▁play ▁college ▁baseball ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Florida ▁instead . ▁He ▁purs ued ▁a ▁degree ▁in ▁anth rop ology . ▁ ▁Colleg iate ▁career ▁Johnson ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁No . ▁ 1 ▁rec ruit ing ▁class ▁by ▁Baseball ▁America ▁at ▁Florida ▁and ▁was ▁named ▁a ▁fresh man ▁All - American ▁by ▁Baseball ▁America , ▁Y ahoo ! ▁Sports , ▁National ▁Colleg iate ▁Baseball ▁Writ ers ▁Association , ▁and ▁Louis ville ▁Sl ug ger ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁ ▁Johnson ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁No . ▁ 2 / 3 ▁starting ▁pitch er ▁for ▁the ▁Florida ▁G ators ▁baseball ▁team ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁Johnson ' s ▁pitch ing ▁re per toire ▁featured ▁a ▁low ▁ 9 0 ' s ▁fast ball , ▁change up , ▁and ▁curve ball . ▁He ▁helped ▁lead ▁the ▁G ators ▁to ▁their ▁first ▁College ▁World ▁Series ▁( C WS ) ▁appearance ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁The ▁G ators ▁were ▁ranked ▁as ▁high ▁as ▁No . ▁ 2 ▁in ▁the ▁country ▁by ▁Baseball ▁America . ▁Johnson ▁was ▁also ▁named ▁to ▁the ▁John ▁O ler ud ▁Award ▁watch - list . ▁The ▁award , ▁given ▁to ▁the ▁top ▁two - way ▁player ▁in ▁America , ▁was ▁won ▁by ▁Mike ▁McG ee ▁of ▁Florida ▁State ▁University . ▁The ▁G ators ▁were ▁elimin ated ▁by ▁Florida ▁State ▁ 8 – 5 ▁in ▁the ▁C WS ▁and ▁finished