BEAUMONT, Texas – Adding on to its already top-ranked recruiting class, Lamar University's baseball team has officially signed Dylan Johnson. The Splendora High School pitcher will join the Cardinals for the 2019 season.
 
"Dylan is someone who flew under the radar from living in a small town but is not under the radar anymore as he leads all Texas high school pitchers in strikeouts," said head coach Will Davis. "He is a left hander who sits in the upper 80s, pounds the strike zone, and has a really good breaking ball."
 
Johnson had a prestigious career at Splendora, lettering four years in baseball and three years in basketball. The Splendora, Texas, native was a 2015 Second-Team All-District member as a freshman, a 2016 First-Team member as a sophomore, a three-time Academic All-District member from 2015 through 2017, and a 2018 Academic All-State member in basketball. He currently leads high school pitchers in the state of Texas in strikeouts with 85 and possesses a sub-1.00 ERA this year in 36 and a third innings.
 
"We've had some good guys come through here," Splendora head coach Chase Reneau said to The Courier of Montgomery County. "But I don't think I've seen anything this dominant. He's striking out guys regularly and keeping them off the base paths so well. It's one of the best runs I've seen."
 
According to the stats available on MaxPreps.com, Johnson has a career 2.32 ERA through 117.2 innings having struck out 215 of the 532 batters he's faced. He's held opposing batters to an astounding .126 batting average. Most notably Johnson also threw two consecutive no-hitters against Beaumont West Brook and Baytown Lee. He struck out a combined 25 batters in those two games.

"I chose Lamar because it is a chance for me to do what I've dreamed about my whole life - to have the chance to make an impact on the Division I level is something every kid that plays baseball strives to do," said Johnson. "I feel that the coaching staff at Lamar University could really help me dig into my true potential as a pitcher."
 
Johnson is the second Cardinal signee in the late signing period for NCAA baseball, joining JC Correa, the younger brother of Houston Astros' phenom Carlos Correa.
 
"There is no doubt that he will be able to come right in and help us," said Davis.

"I plan on making a big impact on the mound by pitching quality innings when I get the shot as well as doing anything I can to lead to the team's success," said Johnson. "I will not take the opportunity given to me for granted."
 
Correa signed earlier this week at Alvin Community College. You can read more detailed stories on Correa here. For a recap of the initial, nationally-ranked 2019 signing class click here.