BU signs third pitcher in 2020 class

BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Bellevue University baseball coach Duane Monlux announced today the signing of Matt Johnson (Meridian, Idaho/Blue Mountain CC) to a letter of intent to continue his academic and athletic career at Bellevue beginning in the fall of 2020.

Johnson, a right-handed pitcher, comes to Bellevue after playing his junior college ball at Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton, Ore.

As a freshman in 2019, he appeared in a total of nine games and made six starts. We pitched to a 3-1 record with a 3.62 ERA and limited opponents to a batting average of just .200. He struck out 20, against 17 walks, over 27.1 innings.

Johnson is currently competing in his sophomore season at Blue Mountain. Through his first three starts, he has logged 12 innings of work and posted a 3.00 ERA while striking out 7.5 batters per nine innings. He currently stands at 0-2 but has been plagued by errors behind him, having allowed 10 unearned runs on the season.

Coach Monlux on Johnson:

"Matt has a really big upside and we are really excited that he has decided to join the Bruin family. He is a big, physical kid with a mid-to-upper 80's fastball with a good slider. We are looking forward to watching his progress this year as he finishes his sophomore season at Blue Mountain. We expect him to jump in and compete for a lot of innings for our team next season."

Johnson joins earlier signees Dalton Stamper (Lewiston, Idaho/Wenatchee Valley) and Nate Smith (Lewiston, Idaho/Blue Mountain CC) in the Bruins' 2020 signing class.

The Bruins are currently 9-11 on the season but have qualified for the Avista NAIA World Series twice in the past four seasons and have reached the NAIA National Tournament in nine-straight campaigns. In the program's storied history, BU has qualified for 22 National Tournaments, made 14 World Series Appearances, and won the 1995 National Championship.

Blue Mountain CC Stats: