ROUND ROCK, Texas -- Keith Johnson of the Salt Lake Bees has been named the 2013 Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year, the league office announced Friday.

Johnson was voted the league's top skipper after a balloting of the 16 field managers and media representatives from each PCL city.

Johnson, 42, and his Bees earned a playoff spot Thursday night with an 8-4 victory over Tacoma that clinched the Pacific Northern Division. With three games remaining, Salt Lake holds a 78-63 record, which is tied for third-best in the league. The Bees are headed to the postseason for the first time since 2008.

The 2013 season marks Johnson's third with Salt Lake, where he has gone a combined 213-215. Prior to joining the Bees, he spent two seasons managing the Class A Advanced Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (2009-10) and a single season captaining the Class A Cedar Rapids Kernels (2008). He has compiled a career record of 424-422 in six Minor League seasons for affiliates of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Johnson has also served as hitting coach at three different levels for the Angels including Double-A Arkansas (2006-07), Class A Short-Season Orem (2005) and Mesa of the Arizona Fall League (2004).

Before his managing career unfolded, Johnson enjoyed a 12-year professional career as an infielder, including stints in the PCL with the Albuquerque Isotopes (1996, 1998), Tucson Sidewinders (1999), Edmonton Trappers (2000) and the Las Vegas 51s (2001). He played his final two professional seasons with the Salt Lake Bees in 2002 and 2003 where he batted .283 with 26 home runs and 120 RBIs. Johnson hit .264 with 118 homers and 600 RBI in 1,265 career Minor League games.

Among those who also received votes for the Manager of the Year award were Steve Scarsone (Sacramento), Tony DeFrancesco (Oklahoma City), Mike Jirschele (Omaha), Pat Murphy (Tucson), Wally Backman (Las Vegas), Lorenzo Bundy (Albuquerque) and Ron Hassey (New Orleans).