Chiefs Gain Center Fielder from Daytona, Johnson Goes to Mesa
June 7, 2008 - Midwest League (MWL1)
Peoria Chiefs News Release
June 7, 2008
Chiefs Gain Center Fielder from Daytona, Johnson Goes to Mesa
Wyatt to be in uniform for Saturday contest against Clinton
PEORIA, IL- The Peoria Chiefs in conjunction with the Chicago Cubs have announced that center fielder Jonathan Wyatt has been sent down from Daytona while Leon Johnson has been reassigned to Extended Spring Training in Mesa, AZ. Wyatt is expected to be in uniform for the Chiefs 6:30 PM contest Saturday against Clinton.
This season, Wyatt saw action in 55 games for High-A Daytona hitting .230 with three homers, six doubles and 20 RBI. The 23-year-old stole three bases in seven attempts and drew 33 walks while striking out 32 times. He hit .306 on the road but just .133 in 26 home games at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. Wyatt hit .277 in April but struggled in May with just 17 hits in 85 at-bats for a .200 average. He played center field in every game except for two starts when he was the DH. Wyatt mostly hit leadoff for Jody Davis' squad, but had the most success in 11 games as the two-hitter in the lineup.
Wyatt played in 66 games for Boise last season in the Short-Season Northwest League hitting .306 with four home runs and 41 RBI. He slugged .461 and collected 18 doubles with four triples and 12 stolen bases. In his first professional season, Wyatt walked 42 times and struck out 47 times while committing just three errors in the outfield. He was third in the NWL in walks, fifth in on-base percentage, second in runs and ninth in batting average.
Wyatt was drafted by the Cubs in the 13th round of the 2007 draft out of the University of Georgia. With the Bulldogs in 2007, the outfielder was the first to post a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in 25 years. He hit .323 with six homers, 37 RBI and 16 steals. Wyatt led the team in on-base percentage, runs, hits, walks and steals. He is sixth in the Georgia career list with 222 games played and 42 steals. Wyatt is a native of Kennesaw, GA where he attended Harrison High School, the same alma mater of former Chiefs MVP Eric Patterson and former Cubs outfielder Corey Patterson.
Johnson played in 32 games for the Chiefs this season batting .220 with nine RBI and three doubles. He stole nine bases and drew 12 walks while scoring six runs. Johnson leaves the Chiefs with a five game hitting streak (7-for-15) during which he raised his average 31 points. Johnson set a career-high and Chiefs season-high with three stolen bases in Friday night's 10-5 win over the Clinton LumberKings. The center fielder hit .250 at home in 48 at-bats this season and .247 against right-handed pitchers. Johnson was drafted in the 10th round last June out of Brigham Young University and played 51 games as a pro. In 18 games for Mesa he hit .433 with a home run, 11 RBI and 13 stolen bases. The 22-year-old joined the Chiefs July 18 last season and hit .198 with 11 RBI and 10 steals in 33 games to finish the season.
The four-game series between the Chiefs and the LumberKings continues Saturday night at 6:30. There will be a post-game fireworks show presented by CEFCU along with the third Pitch In for Charity of the season sponsored by Aquatech Pools & Spas and Little Caesar's Pizza. The money raised from the Pitch In for Charity will benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation. Sunday the Chiefs and LumberKings play at 2:00 PM. The Principal Financial Group Family Fun Fest kicks off the day's events at 11:00 AM with family filled entertainment and games outside the O'Brien Field Box Office. The first 2,000 fans through the gates at 1:00 PM will receive the 2008 Peoria Chiefs Baseball Card Set Giveaway. Chiefs players will sign autographs after the game and kids 14 and under can run the bases. Sunday is also a Taco Bell Family Day with vouchers at participating Taco Bell's redeemable for four Club Box Seats, $20 in concession vouchers, a disposable camera and a picture frame all for $8.
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- Chiefs Gain Center Fielder from Daytona, Johnson Goes to Mesa - Peoria Chiefs
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