THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE Jan. 31, 2016

Perhaps you’re familiar with the story of Kyle Johnson, budding major league outfielder.

Well, there’s an emerging new chapter — Kyle Johnson, entrepreneur.

Yes, the 26-year-old outfielder and Lake City High product is entering his fifth season in professional baseball, currently with his second organization, the New York Mets. He spent his most recent season in Triple-A, which puts him one step away from the majors.

But what really gets the 6-foot, 180-pound Johnson beaming is talking about his new business, Big League Locker, a warehouse of sorts for all things baseball, and a way to give back to the game and the community he loves so much.

“I think that’s going to be my segue from baseball at some point,” Johnson said earlier this week, spending the offseason in North Idaho and preparing to head to the Mets’ minor league spring training in late February.

More on the business venture later.

FIRST, THE baseball.

Johnson was playing his 36th game of the season, his first in Triple-A, with the Las Vegas 51s of the Pacific Coast League, when he was hit by a pitch in late May, and suffered a broken bone, just below the ring finger, on his left hand.

He doesn’t remember who hit him — “I just know it was 93 (mph) on the hand,” Johnson recalled.

He came back to his home in Post Falls for what was expected to be a four- to five-week recovery. Then it was off to New York to meet with a hand specialist, who had bad news — instead of the bone having a little crack in it, it was indented, almost in the shape of a “V.”

Surgery took place the next day, a plate and six screws were inserted, and Johnson was sidelined another eight weeks.

Then it was down to Florida to start working his way back.

“By the time I got up to full speed, I played three games (with the Mets’ Rookie League team) and the season ended,” he said. “I got healthy just in time for the offseason.”

So it was back to Post Falls, where he and his wife, Susan, watched the Mets’ run through the playoffs, which ended with a five-game loss to the Kansas City Royals in the World Series.

“The cool thing about the World Series run was, I knew personally half those guys,” Johnson said. “(Noah) Syndergaard came up through Triple-A … Kevin Plawecki, we played High-A together, Double-A, Triple-A … so it was cool to see all those guys on that stage, and realize how close I am to being there.”

He texted with Steven Matz, a left-handed pitcher with the Mets, and one of his good friends, and thought about how, if not for his bad break, it could have been him playing in the Fall Classic.

“I thought about that a lot,” said Johnson, who was hitting .223 in 94 at bats with Las Vegas, with seven stolen bases, when he was injured. “Honestly, I tried not to, it’s one of those things that’s out of your control. I just tried to focus on getting healthy, and this season. I’m heading down to spring training at the end of February, and then get back to work, and plan to be in Triple-A again, and make a push and try to get up there (to the bigs).”

NOW, THE business.

About a year ago, sitting in his car before a hitting session in the indoor facility at Lake City, just before leaving for winter ball in Puerto Rico, Johnson got a call from a friend and former college teammate from Washington State, Tommy Richards, who pitched the idea of Big League Locker.

How it works: Players, parents, teams, etc., from youth baseball leagues go to the website (BigLeagueLocker.com) and purchase equipment for the upcoming season.

“But the big hook with this is, we’re donating 10 percent of all sales back to their leagues,” so leagues are helping fund their own leagues by using the site, Johnson said. “Our main goal, our vision, our objective, is to become the biggest financial supporter of Little League and youth baseball.”

Richards and Johnson contacted Nick Smoot, the local tech wizard, who taught them how to start a business. They brought in Aaron Gabriel, another former Lake City baseball standout whose dad, Kenny, was Johnson’s outfield coach in high school. Gabriel’s the tech guy, handling development of the website.

Local teams and leagues — Coeur d’Alene Little League, Hayden Little League, Coeur d’Alene American Legion, some other travel ball teams in the area — will be the “test group” for this project, buying product, getting 10 percent back, giving feedback.

“Once we get the bugs out, we can expand all over the U.S.,” Johnson said.

The site will also offer baseball advice, as Johnson, a 25th-round draft choice of the Los Angeles Angels in 2012, draws on his experience and contacts in baseball.

The launch for the Big League Locker business is scheduled for Feb. 20 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Premier Sports Center in Post Falls. The event will include camps for youth baseball players, demo booths, gear from major manufacturers, etc.

Johnson, a business major at WSU, said it was a longtime goal to create some sort of business someday.

“It’s not about making a billion dollars for us,” Johnson said. “Really, our mission is to be the biggest financial supporter of Little League. If I can donate $1 million to Little League one day, it would be incredible.”

If successful, Johnson said he could see Big League Locker expanding to other sports — football, hockey, soccer, basketball, etc.

“This is something I could see myself doing the rest of my life,” he said.

WHILE HE launches his future, Johnson remains committed to the present — he was a Double-A All-Star in 2014, and in fact, he said his injury has fueled even more his dreams of playing in the major leagues, playing in a World Series, winning a World Series.

He’s not a slugger, but with 71 stolen bases in his minor league career, Johnson can offer speed — something that’s back in vogue in baseball, thanks in part to the Royals.

But perspective changes a bit as family changes — he and Susan have two girls, one age 6, the other born last August.

Last week, Johnson almost sounded more excited talking about his business venture than his baseball career.

“Isn’t that interesting,” he admitted. “I don’t know what to say about that. But I’m excited about that; I really am. It takes into account my passion of baseball, which I’ve done my whole life, but it also takes that entrepreneurial spirit, what I’m excited about.”

In addition to giving back to the game he loves, Johnson hopes to give back to the community that has been so good to him growing up.

“If we could have 100 jobs in Coeur d’Alene from Big League Locker, that would be awesome,” he said.

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@CdAPressSports.