Fredericksburg’s Michigan Daub. Annville’s Cameron Hoch. Campbelltown’s Brian Coburn. Richland’s Joe Carpenter.

There are some gifted athletes playing baseball in the Lebanon County American Legion League this summer.

But no one is more valuable to his team that Hayden Johnson is to Fredericksburg.

Johnson is versatile, instintive and gives it his all the time. But what separates him from the rest of the players in the local summer baseball league is his ability to get on base, disrupt a pitcher’s focus and run the bases.

F-burg’s lead-off hitter, the veteran Johnson exhbits patience, a good eye and a level swing at the plate. When he does get on, Johnson is always a threat to steal a base, and ultimately to score a run.

This week, Johnson was in the middle of Fredericksburg’s 6-5 win at Annville on Thursday. Though he didn’t get the win, Johnson started on the mound, pitched well and scored the run that gave Fredericksburg a late 5-3 advantage – on a double, advancing on a ground ball and scoring on a wild pitch.

In addition to his pitching duties and offensive-generation skills, Johnson is also a talented middle infielder, a fierce competitor and an unsung leader.

 – Jeff Falk