2024 Future Games: Quick Hits
August 8, 2024
The Prep Baseball Future Games showcased an exceptional group of young prospects from the 2026 - 2028 classes in the state of Utah, all of whom are uncommitted going into the event, leading to the August 1st contact period for the '26 class. Held annually, the Future Games is Prep Baseball's premier event, bringing together the top uncommitted prospects in the sophomore class heading into their junior year. This year, the event saw an unprecedented attendance of 425 college coaches, solidifying its status as the nation's leading uncommitted showcase.
This year's Future Games featured one of the deepest collections of talent since the initial '21 club, ever taken from the Beehive State and today, we highlight all the players that made an immediate impression at the 2024 Future Games. With close to a half a dozen players in this group, having already received multiple D1 offers, and 2-3 receiving quite a few, as I expect 2-3 to be included in the top 200 if not 100 players in the country, when the updated rankings for the state, as well as the country are released in the coming weeks. NOTE: Team Utah was the youngest collection of talent among all the Prep Baseball states, as we took 12 from the normal '26 class, but also took 3 from the '27 class and Utah was the only state to have players reppin' the 2028 class, as we brought 2 from the class, making it 5 players who barring any health setbacks or performnce drops, these players will return to LakePoint again next year and 2 the following year as well, based on there talent, should be household names among college recruiters.
The following tweet, was a scheduled sit down in the 2nd inning of our game vs Team PNW, where LakePoint "Live" staple host, Cory McCartney, who covered the Atlanta Braves for 13 years, had a chance to visit with Utah Scouting Director and former veteran MLB Scout of 20 years for the Los Angeles Angels and Milwaukee Brewers, Jeff Scholzen for a one on one brekdown of Team Utah and the #SwarmingBees and our collection of premium talent...Enjoy!
𝑭𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝑮𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒔 “𝑀𝑖𝑐’𝑒𝑑 𝑈𝑝 🎙️
— 𝐉𝐞𝐟𝐟 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐳𝐞𝐧 (@utahscout1219) July 30, 2024
Had the privilege to go on the air with @coryjmccartney at @LakePointSports during the 2nd inning of our game vs Team PNW…We discussed all things #TeamUtah and the #SwarmingBees 🐝 during the @prepbaseball Future Games!
Give it a… pic.twitter.com/VgH9kITLfR
2026
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Cohen Allred SS / RHP / Riverton, UT / 2026Rankings State Rank: 7 / POS: 3
8/8/24 A physical broad shouldered athlete with natural strength to develop into a power threat at the plate. Has the slight uphill path to loft the ball and carry to the deepest parts of the field and the ball jumps off the bat with backspin and carry. Shows hand and bat speed to hit velocity. Drove a ball to the deepest part of the park at LakePoint at the 385’ sign in center, slight right center field vs Colorado off a 90 mph heater and was run down, but the swing plane and how the ball jumped was impressive. Can swing and miss and that can be curbed by utilizing a better approach and understating count sequences and how a pitcher is working him, but more importantly maintaining balance and being in a good position to hit. When he’s on time, he can smash the ball. Defensively he has the instincts to read balls off the bat and track, just needs to make defense a focus and work at, as the arm is an upper 80’s arm and can surpass 90 with proper instruction and focus. The key will be the work ethic and desire to get better and develop the tools he has been given to turn them into usable skills at the next level. A D1 caliber talent that is raw in some ways as he missed his freshman year due to TJ surgery and had a solid sophomore year and now it's time to really take it to the next level. Only time will tell with hard work and the desire to get better. But the ingredients are there for sure!
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Landon Fry OF / RHP / Lone Peak, UT / 2026Rankings State Rank: 10 / POS: 2
8/8/24 2024 6A HM All-State A lean twitchy put together physical athletic build with the frame to continue to add good weight and added strength to develop into a corner gap to pull power bat. A two way type at present, that has the potential to go either way right now, with the bat ahead of the mound right now. Shows the ability to play all 3 OF spots and runs a near 7.0/60 with a frame to add 20-25 Lbs and additional leg strength to drop down into the 6.7-6.8 range, which will allow him to play CF over the corners and not have to rely on the power as much. Yet if both come into play, we have an all around type defender and bat. On the mound, the arm works and is long in back and creates a proper arm circle with a HTQ slot and avg to slightly better ext out front. The FB has finish through the zone and is 84-87 with more on the way with the breaking ball showing TQ tilt with avg depth. May want to continue to cut through the ball and increase his arm speed to develop a SL that is more suited for his arm action and may also want to learn a cutter down the road to get in on LHHs and away from the barrel to RHHs. Right now the ceiling is that of a quality ranked D2 type program with added development, can develop into a mid-major D1 type.
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Garrett Downing OF / 2B / Corner Canyon, UT / 2026Rankings State Rank: 8 / POS: 1
8/8/24 2024 6A 1st Team All-Region The son of former Southern Utah U and Arizona State star OF’er (owns most of the hitting records at SUU - played for Utah Scouting Director, Jeff Scholzen in 1997) Garrett has been on my radar since the age of 10, and now is one of the top 10 prospects in the 2026 class. The athletic small frame is put together physically and pound for pound strong with a fast bat and tight, short compact stroke to hit. Above avg hand/eye to find the barrel, yet can get stuck on his backside. Collected 40 hits out of the leadoff spot for the 6A state runner-ups and was the catalyst in the lineup and came into his own in 2024, earning a spot on Team Utah at the Future Games. Defensively he shows the instincts and reactions with movement patterns to run balls down and gets behind the ball in textbook fashion like his father. The routes are advanced, as he shows the instincts to stay in CF, with avg 7.0/60 times that should improve a tenth to two tenths as he continues to develop his leg strength. Has improved his 60 in the last two years by 7 tenths of a second.
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Nathan Horstmann 3B / SS / Corner Canyon, UT / 2026Rankings State Rank: 9 / POS: 2
1st team all region (6A Region 2) 6A 2nd team All state 6A State Championship Runner Up 8/8/24 Horstmann had a really good sophomore season at Corner Canyon as he hit over .400 hitting in the middle of the Chargers lineup and helped propel his club to a 6A State Runner-Up finish. A cousin by marriage, as his fathers first cousin is Kacee Sogard, who is married to longtime former MLB infielder Eric Sogard. Nathan works in the offseason and periodically on trips to Tennessee to visit the Sogard’s. Nathan had one of the better rounds of BP and overall workouts at the Future Games and was named to Shooter Hunt's top 75 workout day standouts. The two rounds were crisp and clean and squared every ball up on a line to LCF-LF on a line and took a professional round of BP. A solid 3B, with soft hands and educated feet for a 16 year old. The arm plays avg on the MLB scale right now and looks to be solid avg moving forward with a proper arm circle and path. Has the athletic movement patterns you look for in a quality INF’er and as he adds additional strength and size, while still maturing, you are looking at a future D1 3B, that could also slide over across the diamond and be an offensive minded 2B, if the LD gap power doesn’t translate into big corner power? The LD bat suggests a high avg, high on-base % type right now, as he has a feel for the zone and has pitch recognition and can recognize spin. It will be fun to see where this all ends up?!
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Kaleb Weaver 3B / RHP / Davis High School, UT / 2026Rankings State Rank: 6 / POS: 1
8/8/24 2024 1st Team All-Region 2024 1st Team All-Area 2024 6A Region 1 MVP 2024 6A 1st Team All-State Physical/Hitting/Defense: Weaver jumped onto my radar as a freshman as he was the starting SS for the Davis Darts in 2023 and had a big freshman year as a 15 year old in hitting .363 in 116 PA’s as a sophomore the physically put together corner bat hit .356 with 7 2B’s, a 3B and a HR. The swing plane finishes through contact into a complete two handed finish and stays through the ball. Made loud contact on 2-3 occasions and drove balls hard to the gaps, only to be run down, but put good swings and AB’s together. Pitching: the arm at this point is a tad ahead of the bat as Weaver led the state at all levels with a 10-1 record on the mound and had one shy of half of his team’s wins on the mound this past spring. The arm speed as well as strength has taken a leap forward into the 87-90 range and sits 88 with finish and carry through the zone. The CB shows TQ shape and tilt with late hard spinning depth to get swing and misses off the plate to RHH’s and can back foot LHH’s in getting over the top swing and misses. With a fully developed frame and build, the upside is all about an added 10 Lbs and the strength that will come with it, as once he is fully leaned up and has his man strength, we are looking at a 90-93 arm in the not too distant future. A mid-major arm that can make an impact right away with his K throwing ability and tenaciousness and competitive streak on the mound to collect wins and beat you at all costs.
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Ricardo Navarro SS / 3B / Bryce Valley High, UT / 2026Rankings State Rank: 4 / POS: 2
8/8/24 Background: The “surprise player” of the Future Games and the surprise prospect of the last 7 months in the Beehive State, has to be NAVARRO! A native and move in from Sonora, MX, Navarro wanted to come to the U.S., to play college baseball and was found by a professional hunting guide (Outfitter) and ex-HS coach who had contacts in Mexico through his hunts and “Rica” wanted to move to Utah to play baseball and have that chance, so he lives with family in Central Utah. He started playing for his HS, which by the way is at the 1A level and plays in the fall, due to the size of the small rural towns in the scenic byway of Tropic, Utah, at the base of Bryce Canyon National Park. Needless to say the competition is not even JV competition in most of the state, but it’s on the travel ball summer circuit and through Prep Baseball, that Navarro has been discovered and groomed for the next level. A Preseason All-State (Feb) and Top Prospect Games (July) attendee, Navarro was able to show his tools and talents to the in-state coaches and get his name out there within the state, and get it out there he has…but it was the invitation and to represent Team Utah at the Future Games that really got the word out there on the Uber talented SS! Summary: A 5-7 165 fire hydrant of pound for pound strength, Rica has all the tools on both sides of the ball to excel at the next level and is physically strong for his size! With thick strong thighs and quick wrists and strong forearms, Navarro can juice the ball to the pull side and shoot LD’s to the back side of the field with backspin carry. There is loft in a BP setting and can drive it high and far to the pull side and is among the leaders in exit velocity and max distance at both invite state events he’s attended this year. In game settings, the swing has less uphill and with a high hand set, and a moderate knee lift, the body gets moving towards the baseball (will need to be toned down) and gets his entire backside going to and through the baseball with fast hands and a quick bat to shoot the ball on a line, while manipulating the barrel. Is able to get on top of high 80’s low 90’s FB’s and hit the high pitch with juice and spoil as well, while dropping the head on the low FB and shooting LD’s through the left side of the INF. On the defensive side of the ball, Navarro made all the routine plays with a projectable plus arm across the INF that sits 86-88 now with online frozen rope carry across the diamond. Two plays stood out at the Future Games that caught the dugout and crowd/coaches attention. The first one was a softly hit ground ball up the middle and to the left side of the bag, that he gloved flipped to the 2B’man while continuing his momentum towards CF for the force out. The second was a slow roller coming in and to his right and he back handed the ball, and transferred to his throwing hand underneath and fired an off balance throw to 1B, with the runner just beating the throw. The run times of 7.34/60 are sneaky in that he takes proper tight turns around the bases and shows instincts to sniff extra base hits and gets out of the box, while being a below raw runner. The type that to the naked eye, you would believe he’s a better raw runner than the laser or watch indicates. As the game speeds up, he may have to move to 2B and can handle 3B at the mid-major D1 level with the pull side juice taking a bigger leap with his man strength in the coming years. But profiles nicely as an offensive type 2B with the defense bumping to plus across the bag at the keystone. Has generated quite the interest with offers promised and mentioned since August 1st with one back to back regional team in love with his tools and skill set…It will be fun to see where the next two years takes this young man, who is bilingual and speaks good English and has adapted nicely to his surroundings in scenic Central Utah. An engaging, energetic personality that asks questions in the dugout with the coaches and his teammates! He can play for me everyday and twice on Sunday!
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Cayman Sanchez SS / RHP / Davis High, UT / 2026Rankings State Rank: 12 / POS: 4
8/8/24 2024 5A HM All-State A staple at all invite events since the 8th grade, Sanchez is a baseball player that has a good feel for the game and doesn’t do one thing great, but is a sum of all parts type player. A smaller lean athletic type that may have reached his ceiling in height, yet still has his man strength to come. Able to bounce around to 3 INF spots and is most suited moving forward at the next level at the keystone position of 2B, as an offensive, shoot the gaps type, that has LD power to carry and lift the ball out to the pull side. A very good sophomore year at Olympus as he hit .359 5 22 with 12 2B’s and looks to add to that total as he continues to gain added strength with age. A solid base to hit from and is balanced in his setup and load to attack the baseball. Drives his hands inside and under the baseball, to get LD carry with backspin. An avg runner on the MLB scale of 6.92, and is a solid base runner who looks for extra bases out of the box. There’s some swing and miss to his game, and it’s on the FB up or elevated. Will need to learn to get on top or spoil, but more so than not, lay off the pitch. A low ball hitter who with his backspin is where he does his best damage. The glove is solid and makes all the routine plays, with better range to his left and coming in than his right to the hole. The hands are soft and the arm at 83 across the diamond will play solid avg across the bag as stated at 2B and profiles nicely there. Will move on to Davis HS I’ve the next two years as his family moved and will team with Kaleb Weaver on the left side of the INF and the duo will be as solid a one two punch on the mound as there is in the state. Keep this kid on your radar as he is steady Eddie and doesn’t make mental mistakes. A cerebral player that should continue to get better with his man strength.
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Bode Gaggero SS / 2B / American Fork High, UT / 2026Rankings State Rank: 3 / POS: 1
8/8/24 One of Shooter Hunt’s top 75 (#39) impact position players of the Future Games, Gaggero’s father Nick, played for Utah Scouting Director~Jeff Scholzen in ‘95-‘96 at Southern Utah U. Bode was first ID’ed as a rising freshman in the summer of ‘22 at the Rising Stars ID at his home HS of American Fork and was promptly placed in the class of ‘28’s top 10 prospects. Gaggero has risen steadily since and was an everyday player this past year as the DH to get his bat in the lineup and also play 2B, when pitching rotations dictated a prospect at SS was pitching. Will take over at SS as a rising junior in ‘25. A lean athletic projectable 5-11 165, that has another 10-15 Lbs of maturity to his frame left as well as his man strength. The bat and glove are a tandem strength as well as he can run and throw and is an all around player with tools. The bat has a chance to really play as a high avg/high on-base type as his flat fluid on line stroke worn a two hand full whippy finish stays in the zone a long time with balance throughout the swing. Gets out of the box and has a fluid running gate and takes tight bellied out turns at the bag and looks for extra bases out of the box. The glove is clean and fluid with soft hands and educated feet and can make the back handed slide on the ground and pirouette and get up and finish the throw to get the runner. A 7.26/60 plays better than the number as the base running is instinctual and fundamentally sound in his decisions of when to take the extra base and also the ball in the dirt read. Enough arm for SS at the HS or mid-major level, but looks to be an offensive gold glove caliber 2B at the Power 4 level and there is no doubt in my mind that is where he will end up, as his phone was hopping on August 1st.
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Cy Chrisman 1B / 3B / Maple Mountain, UT / 20268/8/24 2024 1st Team All-Region 2024 5A 1st Team All-State 2024 All-Valley Offensive MVP One of Shooter Hunt’s top 75 (#5) impact position players of the Future Games, Chrisman who put on a power clinic during the workout phase of the West Coast ProCase at Pepperdine on June 4th, backed it up once again in even bigger fashion at the Future Games. With a exit velocity of 106 with wood and a max distance of 402’ at sea level in CA, put up 105 and 421’ at Lakepoint to finish #5 and #1 respectively in each category. If you are drawing up a power hitting 1B’man in MLB the Show, this is what they look like. A tall 6-4 218 physical well filled out frame with even more strength and size coming as he continues to develop and mature, the bat is elite and has a chance to be a ready made impact bat at whatever level that may be, whether it’s at the Power 4 or professional level out of HS. The bat speed is elite and consistently clocks in from 82-88 mph at all of his events he’s attended. It’s one of the fastest bats in the country and also one of the top power bats of anyone in not only the Utah class, but the country. The glove is fringy now with added footwork development needed and the hands are soft, just needs to sync up the feet to slow his low to mid 80’s arm to play more crisply. A 7.12/60, that is a solid avg athlete for his size and there are some very strikingly eerie similarities to former MLB power hitting 1B-Mark Trumbo, who Utah Director Jeff Scholzen coached in the Pioneer League in Orem, Utah in 2005. A massive 2024 season was put together by Chrisman as he led his Maple Mountain HS team to the 5A state championship, by hitting .480 8 40 with 12 2B’s with 47 base hits in 32 games played. Chrisman will most certainly be a top candidate for numerous player of the year awards over the next two seasons!
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Mason Henry RHP / 1B / Pleasant Grove, UT / 2026Rankings State Rank: 5 / POS: 1
8/8/24 The son of Future Games coach and his HS coach, Darrin Henry as well as the younger brother to former MLB catcher and current AAA Blue Jays farmhand Payton Henry, Mason is a two-time Team Utah alum and made a quick impression on the mound to get things started for Utah as the starter in game one at LakePoint. The “man-child” at 6-8 215 returned to Atlanta after showing 84-86 a year ago and early this spring right out of the gym. But this go around, Henry showed an ease to operate with his tall imposing high kick to delivery, by pumping 86-89 down in the zone with plane, direction and angle to give hitters fits. The FB with a spin of 2,200-2,300 will continue to pick up a couple 100 rpm’s as the velocity matures. The CB 70-71 is big and arching with TQ tight spinning depth from the top of the building due to his imposing height at 2,500 rpm’s and the CH 77-80 has the chance as he continues to gain feel for the pitch and his delivery of being a solid avg pitch and potentially plus at 1,700 rpm’s and kill the spin well and the pitch fades with pull the string effect and arm side sink. A 3 pitch mix and the physicality mixed with the bloodlines had Henry’s phone buzzing on August 1st!
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Cache Poulson C / American Fork, UT / 20268/8/24 2024 6A 1st Team All-Region 3 One of Shooter Hunt’s top 75 (#37) impact position players of the Future Games, Poulson is no stranger to LakePoint as he was a member of Team Colorado at the 2021 Jr Future Games. Would have been a Team Utah alum a year ago if not for an unfortunate injury just before the event took place. Now back in GA, Poulson was the difference in a 10-7 win vs Colorado on day one, as he powered a 3-R HR to left that was the difference maker. A lean and thin athletic catcher who also participated in the West Coast ProCase back in June at Pepperdine. Poulson has a chance to be a solid avg catch and throw type with solid receiving skills and moves well side to side and is quick to drop and block, while keeping balls in front to pounce and recover. A pop tone in the vicinity of 1.95-2.05 consistently and is always on the money with his throws. An avg arm and clean exchange will only get quicker as he continues to grow and get stronger and add leg strength in quickening the feet to get into position to exchange and throw. The setup to hit is unique as he spreads out with a heel lift from a still position with the bat resting on his shoulder. He takes an inward front turn of his left hip and left knee to get his weight back and then fires the hands and knob from his shoulder with an inside out stroke, that’s short to and long through. The finish can at times be a full two hand or one hand finish, depending on where he strikes the baseball in the zone, to balance himself throughout the swing. The athletic receiver is also a near avg runner at 7.06/60 and it wouldn’t surprise me to see some 6.8-6.9’s over the next couple of years as I said with added leg strength and filling out. The running gate is smooth and on a straight line with no sway on the straightaway. An all around catcher that has already received 5 offers with 3 being of the power 4 variety. More should role in over time, but he has some solid choices to date.
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Royal Matthews C / 3B / Park City High, UT / 2026Rankings State Rank: 13 / POS: 2
8/8/24 A bloodline player as his father Joel Matthews played for the KC Royals organization out of college and Royal plays for Prep Baseball Utah staff member David Feasler at his HS. A switch hitting catcher that has a mirrored approach and setup and hitting strike from both sides of the plate. A player that caught Shooter Hunt’s eye during our 2nd game on field BP and had a solid Future Games behind the plate in and put together some quality AB’s in splitting time each game with Poulson. A stocky strong well proportioned frame and build that looks to get stronger as he adds his man strength and he is physically built like a young Mike Napoli. The pull power is evident in BP with a slightly uphill lofted approach. He should be able to split the gaps and establish over the fence pull HR power as he continues to develop.
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2027
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Ryder Huntsman RHP / SS / Pleasant Grove, UT / 20278/8/24 The #1 ranked ‘27 in the class, showed why he deserved that lofty position, as all he did was earn player of the game honors vs Team PNW on Day 2 with 3 perfect innings to start the game, as Team Utah went on to win the game 9-6 and eventually win the pod the following day. Huntsman is the son of former 1994 6th Rd pick Brandon Huntsman who pitched for the Orioles org for a handful of years. Ryder is a slightly built lean athletic frame with considerable projection and room for added growth and strength gains to come, as he matures. A quick and out of a slight crossbody delivery from a high kick into a HTQ arm slot with medium ext. A loose wrist to finish pitches, Huntsman was only one of a handful of arms in the class in attendance at the Future Games and he made his mark by running the FB up to 89 mph and sitting 86-87 and pounded the zone for K’s. The FB has high spin at over 2,400+ rpm’s with carry and ride through the zone. The CB 68-70 was sharp at times and took on tilted TQ shape and depth to land on the outer ½, as well as getting a few roll over GB’s to the left side of the INF at near 2,400+ rpm’s as well. The SL 74-76 is also another effective 2nd breaking ball at over 2,400+ rpm’s again and the CH at 71-72 kills the spin at 1,700+ to fade and sink below the zone. A 4 pitch mix from a ‘27 is rare and suggests his upbringing and development from a player with a former pro playing father. Will be one of three LakePoint arms to carry his HS team on the mound next spring. Upside is gonna be interesting to follow and will be back with Team Utah once again next summer.
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Pratt Morley SS / RHP / Spanish Fork, UT / 2027Rankings State Rank: 2 / POS: 1 8/8/24 The last spot on the roster was going to a pitcher and we found that arm at the Top Prospect Games in Morley, as he displayed his arm strength and athleticism at the Salt Lake CC based event on June 9th. Morley performed well in Atlanta as he filled the zone up with FB’s at 85-89 from a high kick to delivery and with a loose wrist to finish pitches through the zone. The two seam FB has low spin, suggesting his feel to locate down with sinking GB depth. The CB 73-76 has solid spacing off the FB and 2,200 spin with TQ tilted sharp breaking depth and has the feel to spin the ball. The CH 77-78 kills the spin in the 1,500 rpm range and has a feel to pull the string and get an arm side fading sink effect. A three pitch mix from an athletic 6-1 160 Lb frame, suggests there’s some 25 Lbs to continue tacking on and another 4-6 mph left in finishing off in the low 90’s and potentially touching the mid 90’s in 2-3 years. Another one of the youngest arms at the Future Games and will make a return trip next summer once again!
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Sam Dart LHP / 1B / Spanish Fork, UT / 20278/8/24 The bloodline brother to two former D1 commits in the family (Zac - BYU and Will - Utah Tech) has the younger brother surely excited about his development and place in the game moving forward. Zac started game 3 for Team Utah and gave up 2 runs in the first and then settled in a fire two scoreless frames thereafter. A well proportioned athletic frame at 5-11 160, looks to continue to fill out and the crystal ball sees 6-0 180 in his future with a 3 pitch mix with moxy and feel to pitch. The FB 80-84 has a ceiling to jump to 87-90 with pitchability and feel as his strong suit. The CB takes on TQ sweeping depth and can really come into RHH’s and have that back foot finishing effect. The CH fades with a pull the string effect with late sinking depth. Can field his position and gets off the mound quick to cover 1B, while showing a solid mound presence for a young kid. Will return to LakePoint as a two-way player at 1B next summer again.
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2028
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Austin Brown OF / 1B / Wasatch, UT / 2028Rankings State Rank: 1 / POS: 1
8/8/24 The youngest position player at the Future Games and eligible for 2 more years to attend. Looks the part of a ballplayer, as he is 6-1 185 and L-L. The body is lean and strong with broad shoulders and long limbs to continue adding size and strength over the next 4-6 years with natural growth and development. The key will be the gym and what he does to take it beyond the natural format. Blessed with pure God given raw power, that’s solid avg now and 55 on the MLB grading scale. Projects to 60 easily with a chance for 70, which is well above average on the scale. The ball jumps off the bat when he catches it right with back spin and carry. Can leave the park now from straightaway CF to the pull side and in time as he continues to develop, the focus should be on driving the ball as hard and far as he can to the back side of the field as well. Does need to utilize his lower half in his approach to and through the ball, as he uses his upper half at this point, due to his natural strength and is so young and just trying to gain an understanding of how his body should move and work through his swing. Tracks the ball and reacts to balls off the bat defensively in an advanced manner vs his peers of the same age. The arm is a 45 now, which is just below avg, but the arm works and shows online carry to the target on a hop to project a 55 or solid avg arm and will be able to play RF and profile nicely and corner power bat. Has the ingredients to project into a definite D1 hitter and wouldn’t surprise me if it develops beyond that as well. It’s in his court to have that carrot and chase it with hard work and determination, because the ingredients are there.
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Ty Holmstead RHP / OF / Mountain Ridge, UT / 2028Rankings State Rank: 2 / POS: 1
8/8/24 The youngest and only ‘28 arm at the Future Games as he has bloodlines like a handful of Team Utah members, as his father Dax played his college baseball at Texas Tech and Grayson College for Tim Tadlock. Holmstead finished things off in the mound on day 3 for Team Utah with some flashes of his youth and also for what is to come moving forward. The lean athletic righty at 6-2 175 has the frame to get to 200 Lbs over the course of his upcoming HS career, yes upcoming as the and and build have 4 years of exciting development to go and it will be interesting to see where this plays out as the high kick to a tucked compact delivery can pump the FB up to 90 mph and worked at 86-88, although he dropped a tick after the 1st inning in the heat and humidity of Atlanta. But one thing is certain: you don’t see many rising freshmen with this kind of arm strength. The arm slot is a LTQ variety and can feel like it’s coming at your front hip if you’re a RHH and has low riding run and sink below the belt and arm side run up, that can get in on RHH’s. The CB does need attention as it can flatten out and due to the arm action, it must be a sweeping type effect as he gets around the pitch. When he catches it right it takes off and sweeps across the plate with a reaching type reaction from the hitter. The CH has fade and limited use as is the case with a young arm like this, however there’s a lot to like in his size, deceptive slot and upside with twitchy athleticism to see a sinking low to mid 90’s FB in his future. Will return to Atlanta next summer as a two-way RHP/OF and will be fun to see his development over the next 4 years!
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SCOUTING DIRECTOR (BIO)
Scholzen comes to Prep Baseball after serving 9 years as the "Four Corners" Scouting Supervisor with the Milwaukee Brewers (2011-2020). Prior to his run with the Brewers, Scholzen worked for the Los Angeles Angels for 11 years (1999-2010), serving in the same capacity as the "Four Corners" Scouting Supervisor (UT, WY, So-ID, Las Vegas, AZ, CO, NM and El Paso). Scholzen received a 2002 World Series ring for his contributions as a scout with the Angels.
With the Angels, Scholzen created an Angels Scout Team, in which he coached the following MLB players: Kris Bryant, Kevin Gausman, Greg Bird, Tyler Wagner, Aaron Blair, Joey Rickard, Donn Roach, Johnny Field, Taylor Cole, Andy Burns and Paul Sewald to name a few.
During his run with the the Angels, Scholzen also served as the hitting coach for the Angels rookie ball affiliate in the Pioneer League, the Orem Owlz, helping guide the Owlz to the 2005 and 2007 Pioneer League titles, which earned Jeff two more championship rings.
In Scholzen's 20 year scouting career, he was credited with the signing of 6 MLB players starting with: Brandon Wood, SS, Angels 2003, 1st Rd ~ Efren Navarro, 1B, Angels 2007, 50th Rd ~ Donn Roach, RHP, Angels 2010, 3rd Rd ~ Tyler Wagner, RHP, Brewers 2012, 4th Rd ~ Payton Henry, C, Brewers 2016, 6th Rd ~ Ryan Aguilar, 1B/OF - Brewers 2017, 31st Rd ~ Scholzen also had an additional 3 players added to various clubs 40 man MLB rosters over the years. Currently 2019 (14th Rd) draft pick, RHP-Paxton Schultz from Utah Valley U, is currently in AAA with the Toronto Blue Jays, and former 40 man Brewes rostered RHP (Utah Tech) just recently returned from Korea and signed with the NL Champion Arizona Diamondbacks and will most likely start the year in AAA and once stretched out after an injury plagued 2023, File will move up to AAA!
Prior to becoming a professional scout, Scholzen served as the head coach at Southern Utah University between 1993-1997. At the time, Scholzen was the youngest Division I head coach in the country, when he was first hired at 24 years old. The Southern Utah baseball program was dropped after the 2012 season. While coaching at Southern Utah, Scholzen served as the hitting coach for the Alaska Goldpanners in 1995, as they won the Alaska League Championship. Scholzen also recruited and coached World Series RHP-Ryan Jensen of the San Francisco Giants, who would earn a top 5 finish for NL Rookie of the Year in 2022. Scholzen and Jensen had the unique opportunity, to be on opposing sides of the ledger, when Scholzen's Angels and Jensen's Giants squared off in the 2002 MLB Fall Classic.
Scholzen also had the pleasure of coaching Jensen's roommate and back up catcher, Kyle Turner who has worked in professional/major league baseball for 24 years. Kyle currently is in his 14th season with the big league Kansas City Royals and serves as the clubs Head Athletic Trainer. Turner was instramental, while a young player for Scholzen at Southern Utah, in introducing Scholzen to his first wife, the late Heidi Dalton Scholzen, who passed away in December of 2014. A native of Utah, Scholzen played at Hurricane HS and was twice named 1st team All-State and an AAU HM All-American, before moving on to Utah Valley CC and Eastern Oregon University, earning All-Conference honors on three separate occasions. Scholzen played in the Angels’ organization in 1991.
Scholzen was married to his late wife Heidi for 20 years and their union produced four children - McKyla 27, Miranda 24, McKenzie 22 and the couples only son, Grant Scholzen 19, who is a freshman 2B at D1 WCC school, the U of the Pacific (Pacific Tigers) on scholarship. After Heidi's passing in 2014, Scholzen married Cami Macias Scholzen, a widow herself and the same age as Heidi and the couple now have been married 8 years. Between both families, Jeff has 3 grandchildren and 5 step grandchildren (8 total) and the Scholzen's reside in Hurricane, UT in the bottom left SW corner of the state near the most iconic and scenic national parks in the country.