MIAMI — Thursday promises to be one of the greatest days of Daniel Stuart Johnson’s life.

Shortly before the Rockies open their 2019 season here at Marlins Park, the entire team — players, manager, coaches, trainers, and clubhouse attendants — will line up along the first base line to be introduced. For the first time in his career, Johnson, 29, will be a part of that grand baseball tradition.

He’ll be easy to spot. The right-handed reliever stands 6-foot-4, weighs 230 pounds and has a beard that would make a lumberjack proud. He’ll wear No. 63.

Not so easy to ascertain will be the emotions churning inside him. They say there’s no crying in baseball, but Johnson will surely be forgiven if a tear comes to his eye. This is a man who endured 9-hour bus rides from upper Michigan to Evansville, Ind., while playing two seasons with the Traverse City Beach Bums of the independent Frontier League; a man who pitched in 273 minor-league games; a man who almost blew out his shoulder six years ago and was told it was time to cancel his dream.

“I was talking to my Grandpa the other day and even he said, ‘Not many people would go through what you’ve been through, and be able to stick it out,’ ” Johnson said. “But I love this game and I’ve loved it since I was 9 years old and it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.

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“I know mine’s not the conventional route. But I played with a chip on my shoulder when I was younger and that’s something that has kind of stayed with me my whole career. That’s helped me, but I still can’t believe I finally made it. I’m blessed.”

Johnson made his big-league debut with the Rockies on Sept. 9, appearing in seven games after getting called up last season from Triple-A Albuquerque. He became the 19,407th player at that point to play in a major-league game, according to Baseball Reference.

Corralling the wildness that plagued him early in his career, he performed well in spring training this year, consistently throwing a 94-96 mph fastball and flashing an effective curve. He allowed only one earned run in 10 ⅓ innings. He knew he had a decent chance to make the big-league roster, but that didn’t make him any less nervous when he was called into manager Bud Black’s office last week.

“He sat down in that chair in my office, and I’m not sure what he was expecting,” Black said. “A lot of times, you’ll have some fun with a guy when it’s time to tell him good news. Tease him a bit, kind of let him hang. I didn’t do that very long with DJ.

“When I told him, I could see him slowly exhale and take a deep breath. Then I slowly saw this grin come to his face behind that big beard. You love having conversations like that. DJ’s earned this, and what a great story he has to tell.”

Johnson said he’ll always hold on to the memory of that life-changing moment.

“I was definitely nervous,” he said. “I still don’t know what was coming out of my mouth after Buddy told me, I just hope I didn’t say something stupid. The first thing I did after that was call my wife, Mel, because I had to tell her. I wouldn’t be here without her.

“It still hasn’t sunk in, really, and probably won’t until I’m on the line with the guys (Thursday). It’s going to be an amazing feeling. Getting called up is one thing, but being on the Opening Day roster is something completely different.”

Johnson’s tale is the stuff of a heart-tugging baseball movie.

After playing college ball at Western Oregon, he signed as a non-drafted free agent with Tampa Bay in 2010. He didn’t stick with the Rays very long. He’s spent parts of eight seasons in the minors with four different organizations, not counting his two seasons with the Beach Bums. He worked in a lumber yard in Portsmouth, Ohio, in the fall of 2016 before signing with Colorado.

Probable lineups for season opener First pitch at 2:10 p.m. Thursday in Miami Rockies

1. Charlie Blackmon, RF

2. Daniel Murphy, 1B

3. Nolan Arenado, 3B

4. Trevor Story, SS

5. David Dahl, LF

6. Ian Desmond, CF

7. Ryan McMahon, 2B

8. Chris Iannetta, C

9. Kyle Freeland, LHP Marlins

1. Curtis Granderson, LF

2. Brian Anderson, 3B

3. Neil Walker, 1B

4. Starlin Castro, 2B

5. Garrett Cooper, RF

6. Lewis Brinson, CF

7. Jorge Alfaro, C

8. Miguel Rojas, SS

9. Jose Urena, P

“I would work 12-hour days, work out when I got home and then go to sleep, and then do it all over again the next day,” he said.

In 2013, when Johnson was rehabbing his shoulder, he worked at a now-defunct Sports Authority store in a shopping complex next to the Rockies’ training complex in Scottsdale, Ariz.

“I was selling retail and I would assemble baseball equipment displays,” he recalled. “I also cleaned up messes that other people would make when they were looking for stuff. I remember that one day my job was to rearrange socks.”

In 2017, he pitched for Los Mochis of the Mexican Pacific Winter League because he needed the experience and the money.

This season, he’ll make the major-league minimum of $555,000, a quantum leap from his days in rookie ball when he made $1,100 every two weeks, or the time when he pocketed $1,200 a month when playing for the Beach Bums.

“When I got my first (big league) check, my jaw about hit the floor,” he said. “It was so nice this winter to be able to work out and concentrate on baseball. And I got to spend time with my wife and our four girls.”

As sweet and romantic as Johnson’s baseball story is, he’s with the Rockies because he’s become an effective reliever and could be a big piece of the bullpen.

“He’s a strike thrower and he’s got a plus curveball that he commands, and he can mix in his cutter and he’s working on a changeup,” bullpen coach Darren Holmes said. “And he’s as hard a worker as anybody I have ever seen. He definitely doesn’t take anything for granted.”

Added Black: “This guy has become a big-league pitcher, not just a thrower.”

Earlier this week, Johnson happened to watch the movie “Bull Durham” on TV. He couldn’t help but smile and think of his fate and good fortune.

“Yeah, they talk about people handling your luggage in The Show and having brand-new, white baseballs for batting practice,” he said with a laugh. “We play with new baseballs every day. It’s kind of nice. You don’t have to dig through to the bottom of the bag to find a good baseball to throw a bullpen with. It’s little things like that make the big leagues what they are. It’s a different world.”