Utah HS Team Preview: Fremont HS

Utah HS Team Previews - Fremont Silverwolves

Opening Day is around the corner, try outs have been scheduled starting Feb 27th, and rosters are soon to be set. The Utah High School Activities Association has announced that opening day of the 2022 season will commence on Monday March 6th. Jeff Scholzen (Utah Scouting Director) begins the 2023 season coverage with our annual preseason team previews, where we will take notes from coaches, and highlight returning players, newcomers, and some sleepers. Over the next couple of weeks and leading up to opening day, we will be highlighting some of the top programs in the state with our team previews.

As our ardent readers are aware, Team Previews are answered by the Head Coaches of those programs and the scouting reports embedded in the PBR player profiles of the top players, are written by state scouting director Jeff Scholzen, the states only full-time MLB Area Scouting supervisor ever. 

With data partners Trackman Baseball, the leaders in measuring the ball flight and its characteristics off the bat for position players and out of the hand for pitchers. No one does it better. Blast Motion captures key swing metrics in evaluating the efficiency of the swing and where a player's swing is good or bad and what needs to be worked on. Swift Performance measures power output as an athlete with the EZ jump mat and collecting not only the 60 yard dash, but the 10 and 30 yard dashes as well. 3M technology measures key pitching mechanics and how the delivery through the body moves in sequence to produce and provide a more effortless and efficient delivery. 

This season as in every past season, stats are collected across the state at the end of that week's play, with input from coaches, assistant coaches and ultimately myself in putting together comprehensive player content on a weekly basis with the following. 

1. Weekly Utah Power 25 Overall Team Rankings (Monday)

2. Player and Pitcher of the Week, along with other notable player performances (Tuesday)

3. Player Spotlights throughout the spring of top players who are making their mark on the HS scene in capturing college recruiting looks. 

4. I will be scouting games throughout the state and posting player videos on Twitter for college marketing purposes on a weekly basis and in some cases where action is flowing and games are staggered, such as the preseason tourneys down south on a daily basis. 

Quick Footnote: Only 7% of all HS baseball players will play college baseball and the elite of that group, which consists of only 2% will play at the D1 level. These are the players I’m watching and gleaning information on. This is determined by objective data from events, as well as the subjective eye evaluations, honed from my 30 years at the college and professional level. 

Olympus by the Numbers

Head Coach: Garrett Clark 

State Classification/Region: 6A / Region 1 Champions

Two Year Win-Loss Record: 

2022: 27-3

2021: 18-12

Number of State Tourney Appearance in last 10 Years: 7

Number of State Titles games in the last 10 Years: 0

Number of State Titles in the last 10 Years: 0

Outlook 

A year ago, Fremont was the feel good story of the regular season and headed into the 6A state tourney. After dropping their opening game of the season, to Skyridge 5-3, the Silverwolves reeled off 25 wins in a row, enroute to numerous weeks from the middle to the end of their season, as the #1 ranked team in the state by Prep Baseball Report. Fremont was led at the plate by Colorado Mesa U recruit and on the mound by LHP/1B-Bridger Clontz, who hit .438 3 27 with 9 2B’s and 2 3B’s to go along with 42 base hits. USU-Eastern recruit, Gavin Douglas, also swung a big bat, as he hit .431 3 26 with 11 2B’s and 5 3B’s and 47 base hits. There were others who put up solid if not spectacular senior seasons, providing the Silverwolves with a .377 team batting average and a miniscule team ERA on the mound of 2.45.

The biggest bat in the order may have belonged to a now senior and College of Southern Idaho recruit, OF-Calvin Morrow, who is a good story of doing what a player with talent should, and that’s put himself on the map with a big spring season, and attending high profile marketed showcase events to put himself squarely on the radar. With a .369 BA, 5 HR's, 14 2B’s, among the states leaders, but drove in 49 runs to lead the state in all classes in winning the RBI title. After attracting state PBR Director Jeff Scholzen’s attention with his big numbers, Scholzen drove to Fremont on senior day to watch the Silverwolves play and came away impressed by Morrow and subsequently was invited to three separate PBR Utah invite showcase/game events. It all started with the Top Prospect Games at Pleasant Grove HS in July, with BYU, Utah, Utah Valley, CSI, Salt Lake CC, USU-Eastern, Utah Tech and WCC out of state U of the Pacific all in attendance. Morrow impressed with two ringing doubles deep to RCF and showed well, and was now on the radar. The next event was the high profile PBR West Coast Games in Las Vegas in August and then finishing out in October with the Utah All-State Games. What it all led to, was a big offer from College of Southern Idaho, where they are excited to plug him into the middle of the order in 2024.

The Silverwolves should be once again dangerous and put up runs at a high clip with acrobatic SS-Logan Penland leading the way up the middle. Hitting at the top of the order and looking to get on base with Brigg Lange, the Silverwolves could be in for a 2nd act at a run to the 6A title with the other powers from northern Utah. 

Alumni Update: (Ky Bush-LHP, Los Angeles Angels)

Former 2018 grad in LHP-Ky Bush, who was a late pick in the 2018 MLB 1st Year Player Draft by the Kansas City Royals, and because of the late selection and limited money involved, Bush elected to honor his commitment to Washington State U. After a really rough freshman year, Bush transferred to JC powerhouse Central Arizona during the 2020 CoVid season, and signed an NLI immediately in the fall to play his junior season at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, CA (West Coast Conference). It was the right choice as Head Coach Greg Moore at Saint Mary’s, a very highly thought of pitching mind, helped transform Bush into one of the best college pitching prospects in the country. Bush’s FB went from 86-90 in high school to touching 96-97 at Saint Mary’s. 

It’s interesting how players are spotted and noticed for the 1st time by evaluators. During the State Regional playoffs in 2016, state director Jeff Scholzen was scouting his eventual 6th Rd pick in that June’s draft, in Pleasant Grove HS star catcher and now Milwaukee Brewers MLB catcher Payton Henry. Bush was on the mound that day and was a tall, lean and much thinner version of his 6’6” frame he now shows. Bush caught my attention and I followed his progress closely over the rest of his amateur career. I was able to gather information on Bush as a person through sources in Plain City, as my wife’s sister's family lives in the area and their kids attend and attended Fremont. Now with PBR in the 2021 draft, I received a call from the former scouting director of the Los Angeles Angels, who I have known for 30 years and worked with as an Angels scout myself, wanting the low down from a Utah perspective on Bush. It was a short, but informative call on my end, and a few days later in the 2021 draft, Bush heard his name called with the 45th overall pick in the 2nd Rd, and signed for $1.75 million dollars, which is the highest bonus of a native born Utah player. Bush is now squarely in the Angels big league plans in the near future, as he is the organizations #2 overall ranked player, in their minor league system. 

Key Returners with Class/Position

Calvin Morrow OF / RHP / Fremont , UT / 2023 Rankings  State Rank: 17 / POS: 3   Committed: College of Southern Idaho  10/30/22 Since the first day I saw this kid play live, all he’s done is hit and drive balls off the walls from LCF to the pull line. Morrow had a breakout season with a hitting line of .369 5 49 w/14 2B’s. A semi wide, square stance with a lean back and lift of the front heel as his first movement, while beginning to turn the barrel into the load phase, as his front foot lands soft and firm out front. Morrow doesn't have the fastest hands, but has abv avg timing and reads pitches and destroys FB’s middle-in. Able to tuck the hands in and buggy whip the barrel through contact for backspin LD power now and latent over the fence power to come. Defensively he needs the reps and instruction from someone who has a reputation of quality OF work, which are hard to find, but if the defense can catch up to the bat, the bat is of quality and with burgeoning power, this is a high ceiling offensive player.  8/14/22 A surprise find for myself, as Cal was putting up hitting #’s for PBR Utah’s #1 ranked team at Fremont HS. The Silverwolves reeled off 24-25 straight wins, heading into the 6A tourney, and one of the biggest reasons was Cal Morrow. I was looking at MaxPreps stats and couldn’t take my eyes off the numbers Morrow was putting up, so I made the 350 mile drive to the Ogden area to see Morrow in action. He didn’t have the day I expected, but you could see the swing was ready for the next level and he looked the part at 6-1 200 with present strength and a gap to cap backspin type approach. Garnering 6A 2nd ™ All-State honors, Morrow put up a stat line of .369 5 49 w/14 2B’s and also touched 88 w/the FB on the mound. Morrow was a breakout bat at his first event (Top Prospect Games in mid-July) and earned the invite to the West Coast Games. The bat is really good! The defense needs reps and lots of game play and fly/ground ball reps away from game action, as he doesn’t play summer ball, as he is hidden from the metro view of Northern Utah. He did show closing speed on a couple of balls into the gap and into foul territory (RF) to make some run saving catches. The bat should be offered now by top JC’s and a nearby powerhouse D2 in CO, just across the border. He would be a perfect fit, to hit right away at those types of programs!  ‘22 6A RBI Leader (49 RBI's) ‘22 6A First Team All Region 2 2022 6A Second Team All State

Bodee Goins C / RHP / Fremont, UT / 2023 1st Team All-Region 1     Committed: USU-Eastern

Landon Salvesen LHP / OF / Fremont, UT / 2023 Rankings  State Rank: 43 / POS: 6   Committed: USU-Eastern 6/19/21 Landon features a long lean thin build with long arms and legs and shows plenty of room to project added weight and size with added strength gains to come. As an OF’er he does show some tentative tendencies on approach to the ball, yet has a fluid arm stroke and the arm has some growth to come. Offensively he shows on plane bat path with a pull side approach. Does need to get his legs under him and use them to stay lower and through the zone to hit. Has some upright lift and his hips leak a bit, but barreled balls to right with some needed strength to impact the ball and get sow carry off the bat. On the mound, the delivery is loose and shows a high kick to delivery with a high glove on the front side to match the backside. The arm is loose, yet needs added strength and velocity to compete vs tougher competition. Does have time on his side to make the strides he’s looking for.

Logan Penland SS / OF / Fremont, UT / 2024 Rankings  State Rank: 37 / POS: 8   Uncommitted 2022 H.M. All-Region 1 6/19/21 Landon features a long lean thin build with long arms and legs and shows plenty of room to project added weight and size with added strength gains to come. As an OF’er he does show some tentative tendencies on approach to the ball, yet has a fluid arm stroke and the arm has some growth to come. Offensively he shows on plane bat path with a pull side approach. Does need to get his legs under him and use them to stay lower and through the zone to hit. Has some upright lift and his hips leak a bit, but barreled balls to right with some needed strength to impact the ball and get sow carry off the bat. On the mound, the delivery is loose and shows a high kick to delivery with a high glove on the front side to match the backside. The arm is loose, yet needs added strength and velocity to compete vs tougher competition. Does have time on his side to make the strides he’s looking for.

Brigg Grange JR, CF

Key players lost to graduation 

Bridger Clontz

Gavin Douglas

Jaxon Larkin

Cannon Koford

Who is your X Factor to your success

Our two returning Juniors, Logan Penland and Brigg Grange.  If those two have big years we could be very dangerous.

Returning players who were named All-Region / All-State 

Calvin Morrow , 2nd Tm All-State / 1st Tm All-Region

Landon Salvesen, H.M. All-Region

Bodee Goins, 1st Tm All-Region

Peyton Surrage, H.M. Team All-Region

Logan Penland, H.M. Team All-Region

Players who are now playing College Baseball from 2022

Bridger Clontz, Colorado Mesa

Gavin Douglas, USU Eastern 

List players you feel have college baseball potential

Landon Salvesen - USU Eastern

Bodee Goins - USU Eastern

Calvin Morrow - CSI 

Peyton Surrage 

Logan Penland 

Brigg Grange 

Coaches Summary and Outlook

Overall Message:  Our message to our guys is the same every year.  Understand what has made us successful, and NEVER abandon that plan, but improve the plan.  We try to make our process each year better than the year before, learning from mistakes.  We won 25 games in a row last year.  If the record books are accurate that is the longest winning streak in 5A/6A.  That was awesome, but In the end, we fell short.  We have spent the entire off season trying to improve in the areas where we fell short.  And they know exactly what those are.  This group has really enjoyed that process. They will be ready. 

Team Goals:  We have standard team goals.  We have a banner that everyone of our players walks into our dugout, reads win 18 regular season games, win the region, host a playoff series, make it to the final 8, and win a state championship. We have a banner that everyone of our players walks into our dugout.

Strengths:  Our strength should be our depth on the mound.  We have 3 high level arms, and stable guys working to be our next high level arm.  We are bringing back 2/3 of our total RBIs from a year ago, with new kids ready to make their mark in our program.  Very excited to compete

• Garrett Clark (Head Coach)

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