2026 Utah Top 10 Propects (Winter Update)
December 5, 2023
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This post-fall rankings update of the Class of 2026 will primarily focus on the top-10 prospects in the state's sophomore class. Ther has been a couple player movements and a couple that fell out of the top 10, as others have worked their way ahead of them. This class is still developing, as it's strong at the top and fluid after that. Many of these players have Future Games invite in their future, pending their play and performance come spring. Players that start and have a impactful role on their varsity teams, have a leg up on their counterparts.
As many are aware, when a player from the Beehive State is recruited and invited to play in the West Coast Games, the West Coast ProCase, the Future Games and the Super 60 events, Utah Scouting Director, Jeff Scholzen dubs these players in social media posts with the hashtag of #SwarmingBees! This signature tag, indicates these players have earned the right to be honored as "special talents" among their peers in the state.
UTAH TOP 10 PROSPECTS
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Mason Henry RHP / 1B / Pleasant Grove, UT / 2026
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Cy Chrisman 1B / 3B / Maple Mountain , UT / 2026
Rankings State Rank: 3 / POS: 1
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Beckham Stanger RHP / Woods Cross, UT / 2026
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Kaleb Weaver 3B / RHP / Davis , UT / 2026
Rankings State Rank: 5 / POS: 2
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Bode Gaggero 2B / SS / American Fork, UT / 2026
Rankings State Rank: 6 / POS: 1
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Royal Matthews C / 3B Park City, UT / 2026
Rankings State Rank: 7 / POS: 2
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Cooper Clark OF / Ridgeline , UT / 2026
Rankings State Rank: 8 / POS: 1
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Garrett Downing OF / 2B / Corner Canyon, UT / 2026
Rankings State Rank: 9 / POS: 2
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Cayman Sanchez SS / RHP / Olympus, UT / 2026
Rankings State Rank: 10 / POS: 1
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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, 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 is a phone call away.
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. While at SUU, Scholzen also recruited and coached World Series RHP-Ryan Jensen of the San Francisco Giants, who would finish in the top 5 voting for NL Rookie of the Year. 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 18, 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 have now been married for 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.