THE FRONT ROW WITH MARK NELKE: September 19, 2013

For the first year or so of his professional baseball career, Kyle Johnson said he was known as "the 25th-round outfielder."

"I didn't know if that was a good or a bad thing," he said.

Midway through this past season, he became "the guy that got traded for a big-leaguer."

And next spring?

He wouldn't mind being known as "the guy from Lake City High who made the Mets' 40-man roster," and/or "the guy who started the season on the Mets' double-A club."

Things are moving fast for Johnson, and not just when he's on the basepaths, where he has stolen 51 bases in 62 attempts in a little over a year as a professional.

He's already played for four teams - three in this past season alone - and is in his second organization.

"But that's part of the experience," said Johnson, who is back in Coeur d'Alene for an offseason of resting, training and nuptials. "And once you make it, it's going to make being there that much better, because you went through all this stuff."

JOHNSON, a center fielder who played on Lake City's state title team as a junior in 2007, was a 25th-round draft choice of the Los Angeles Angels in 2012. He was sent to the Angels' Rookie League team in Orem, Utah, in the Pioneer League. In 33 games the speedy Johnson hit .289 with seven stolen bases without being caught once.

He started this season at Class A Burlington (Iowa), where in 68 games he batted .308 with 30 stolen bases in 35 tries.

"I didn't know what was going on, because I wasn't moving up, and I was kind of expecting to," Johnson said.

In late June, it all made sense.

Johnson and his Burlington teammates were riding the bus home from a game in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, when his manager received a phone call.

Johnson was summoned to the front of the bus and handed the phone.

It was the farm director of the Angels.

"Congratulations," he told Johnson. "You just got traded to the Mets."

Johnson's reaction?

"Honestly, I was kind of speechless," he said. "Because at that time, I didn't know what to think. I didn't know if it was good, I didn't know if it was bad, I didn't know of it was indifferent."

He got off the phone and said his manager had a big smile on his face.

"He said 'I'm so happy for you,'" Johnson said. "'You're going to love it over there; there's more room to move up the organization.' After hearing that, I got pretty excited."

He was traded for Collin Cowgill, the opening day center fielder for the New York Mets. Since then, Cowgill has gotten 82 at bats in 39 games in the majors with the Angels.

BACK IN Burlington, Johnson got a call from the Mets' farm director, who told him he had two days to get down to the Mets class-A affiliate in Savannah, Ga. - the Savannah Sand Gnats.

He called his fiance, Susan Wilson, who lived with him during this past season.

"When I got home, we hopped in the car and drove 16 hours down to Savannah, Ga.," Johnson said. "I had no idea how long I was going to be there. I assumed the rest of the year, and I was there for eight days."

After eight games, 27 at bats and a .185 batting average, Johnson was on the move again - this time up to the Mets' "high-A" squad in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

In 48 games for St. Lucie in the Florida Gulf Coast League, Johnson batted .278, with 12 steals in 17 tries.

Johnson and Wilson, who is from Prosser, Wash., met while they were at WSU. The wedding is scheduled for Saturday.

"The best thing about having her around (during the season) was just the support, day in and day out, always having that smile when you walk in the door," Johnson said. "Not having that constant baseball, because most of guys live with other baseball players, so when you're at the field, it's all baseball. When you go home, it's all baseball. It's nice with Sue and I because, when we're away from baseball, it's like a normal life. It's not baseball 24/7. Otherwise, it would drive you crazy."

JOHNSON, who turns 24 in November, hopes to land a spot for winter ball. He will report back to Port St. Lucie in February, where all players in the Mets organization gather for spring training. His goal is to make the Mets' 40-man roster, and start the season with their double-A club in Binghamton, N.Y.

Last spring with the Angels, he was in uniform for one major league spring training game, though he didn't get into the game.

''They call you a 'JIC' player, which is 'just in case,'" Johnson said.

Johnson played center fielder at Lake City and at WSU. With the Angels, he played a lot in right field, then played three straight weeks in center field before he was traded. With the Mets, he's played mostly in center field, a little bit in right.

He says he's comfortable in all three outfield positions, and he'll play wherever it takes to keep moving him closer to the big leagues. And he says the Mets like to build from within.

"I think I have a lot more opportunity with the Mets," said Johnson, who said he might become a financial planner when his baseball days are done. "I'll always have a place in my heart for the Angels, because they drafted me, but I think I'm in the right place right now."

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter at CdAPressSports.