Kolby Johnson’s Unique Journey to a Minor League Deal With Red Sox

According to the MLB.com transactions log, Kolby Johnson signed a minor league deal with the Boston Red Sox on January 21. Johnson’s agency, Kares Sports Management, shared the news on its X account on January 22.

Johnson, 25, took a long, windy road to the Red Sox, playing with the Trenton Thunder in the MLB Draft League in 2023. He finished his 2023 season in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball with the Staten Island FerryHawks and played 112 games for them in 2024.

Moreover, he is a right-handed hitting outfielder who is 5-foot-6 and 165 pounds. He is American and was born in Pearland, Texas. He played college baseball for Central Arkansas in Division I from 2019-2023. He only played eight games in 2020 and was given an extra year of eligibility due to the NCAA COVID-19 eligibility extension.

He broke out in his fifth year at Central Arkansas in 2023 with career highs in home runs (11), RBI (44), and a career-best slash line of .293/.373/.529 in 208 at-bats.

Johnson went undrafted in the 2023 MLB Draft and then was signed by the Trenton Thunder for the second half of the 2023 MLB Draft League. He excelled, leading the league with an OPS of 1.029 and a slugging percentage of .578. Johnson was second with a .361 batting average and an on-base percentage of .450 in 147 at-bats. He had five home runs, 22 RBI, and was eight with 16 stolen bases in 40 games in 2023 MLB Draft League.

According to a team announcement, the Long Island FerryHawks signed him shortly after the Trenton Thunder’s season ended on September 5, 2023.

Although he played only nine games with the FerryHawks in 2023, this experience helped him become comfortable with them in the 2024 season. World Baseball Network spoke with Johnson about how his time with the FerryHawks helped him get the opportunity with the Red Sox.

“After the draft league, I went into my first full offseason with a plan for what I felt I needed to take my game to the next level,” Johnson told World Baseball Network. “I wanted to build extra strength in my legs to endure the demands of a long season and also prepare my swing to consistently have success against elite pitching.”

Johnson also expressed that refining his mental approach to the game before the 2024 season was a huge part of his success. His numbers for the FerryHawks in 2024 were 11 home runs, 62 RBI, 32 stolen bases, and a slash line of .308/.380/.459 in 429 at-bats. Johnson was fourth in the Atlantic League with 132 hits.

Kolby Johnson ➡️ @RedSox organization!

Kolby joined the Hawks in 2023 after an @mlbdraftleague campaign where he finished 2nd in AVG, 2nd OBP, 1st in SLG, and 1st in OPS!

In 2024, Johnson continued to rake in the @AtlanticLg season along with earning an All-Defensive honor! pic.twitter.com/z2xPWAFvNX

— SI FerryHawks (@FerryHawks) January 23, 2025

 

“I was in the clubhouse every day with guys like Pablo Sandoval and Alejandro De Aza, who shared their knowledge and experience with me.” Johnson said, “My time in Staten Island helped turn me into a professional, which I believe will serve me well in affiliate baseball.”

Johnson credited Sandoval and De Aza with teaching him how to develop sustainable routines and optimize his approach to the game. Sandoval, a three-time World Series champion with the San Francisco Giants, played his last MLB game with the Atlanta Braves in 2021.

World Baseball Network asked Johnson about his reaction to the news that the Red Sox signed him to a minor league deal.

“It was a surreal moment. I know they had been following me for a while, but to have something tangible come from it definitely meant a lot to me,” Johnson told World Baseball Network.

“I honestly play the game to steward the talent God gave me and strive to be the best player I can be, but external acknowledgment can definitely be satisfying at times as well.”

Johnson is now participating in Red Sox minor league camp in Fort Myers, Florida, and he is fully soaking in the experience.

“I have been waiting on the opportunity to strap it up and compete for a long time, so it’s been cathartic to actually do it,” Johnson told World Baseball Network. “I have every resource available to improve my game, and I’m excited to see how much better I can get.”

No specific player interaction has stood out to him, but being surrounded by the best players in the world has strengthened his belief that he deserves to be part of that group as well.