This story was excerpted from Christina De Nicola¡¯s Marlins Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

MIAMI -- Three months is a long time to be away from the diamond.

That was the longest stretch Carter Johnson had gone without competing in the sport he loves. But once his senior season ended at Oxford High School in Alabama, he had to wait until the Marlins selected him in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft on July 14. After Johnson signed, he and the Marlins' other picks spent a week in Miami for an orientation that consisted of excursions around the city and workouts. Then it was up to Jupiter, Fla., to begin the life of a professional.

On Aug. 2, Johnson finally took the field for his Minor League debut, batting third and starting at shortstop in Single-A Jupiter¡¯s game against Clearwater at BayCare Ballpark. He went 2-for-4 with a run scored in a 4-2 loss that featured eight members of Miami's '24 Draft class.

¡°Not as much nervous, because at this point, you get here and it's time to go. You start playing,¡± Johnson said. ¡°I was just really excited to get going, and I was just excited to get some at-bats in, because I hadn't in a while. So I was really excited just to be able to play in a game atmosphere again. It was awesome.

¡°All the people that I've met in Miami, that was the first game. We were all there, and we all got to play. Pretty much all of us got to play. So I think that was pretty cool, just being with everybody that we met, everybody getting to play their first game the same day. So I think that was pretty sweet.¡±

Through six games, the 18-year-old Johnson is batting .292 with three runs, one double, four RBIs, three walks and seven strikeouts. Ranked as MLB Pipeline¡¯s No. 40 overall Draft prospect, Johnson's scouting report reads that the 6-foot-2 left-handed hitter has a mature approach with a willingness to use the entire field. It notes Johnson has garnered comparisons to another Alabama high school shortstop with a bigger frame than most at his position: 2023 American League Rookie of the Year Gunnar Henderson.

It's something Johnson is trying not to think about. He would love to join that company one day. Until then, he will work hard to get there. The organization¡¯s main message was to focus on a simple enough hitting principle: Swing at good pitches and make good contact.

As far as first impressions go in pro ball, Johnson likes that there¡¯s no break when facing opposing pitchers. Everyone is talented. Every game is a challenge. His long-term goal is to stay up the middle, remaining at the shortstop position he has played his whole life.

¡°Honestly, for this short little season, I just want to play like where I just have no pressure on myself and not really give myself too high of standards,¡± Johnson said. ¡°I just want to go out there and play my game and see what happens.¡±