Utah HS Team Preview: Pleasant Grove
February 22, 2022
Utah HS Team Preview: Pleasant Grove HS
Opening Day is around the corner, try outs have been scheduled starting Feb 28th, 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 Tuesday March 8th. The PBR Utah staff begins its 2022 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 weeks and leading up to opening day, we will be highlighting some of the top programs in the state in our team previews.
PBR Utah will also be publishing its state Power 25 rankings that will be updated every Monday once the season begins. Throughout the season, PBR Utah will be pumping out coverage, highlighting individual players, games, rankings, scouting reports and nominating a player of the week. PBR Utah looks forward to getting out there this spring to see some great baseball.
We continue our coverage with the Pleasant Grove Vikings, who were the 6A state runner ups in 2021. The Vikings are led by 2 time state championship Head Coach, Darrin Henry, who has the Vikings headed on a title run course annually. Coach Henry is also the father of recent MLB call up (Miami Marlins) and former Pleasant Grove legend, Payton Henry, who was signed by the Brewers right out of HS in 2016, by yours truly! The Vikings finished the 2021 season, as the 3rd ranked team in the state with a 26-6 record.
The Vikings lost some key players from the ‘21 squad in Gonzaga freshman catcher, Ty Johnson, Salt Lake CC RHP, Jordan Pace and SS/RHP, Kyler Lester, a freshman now at BYU. The current club boasts some key players that have college commits in hand and an up and coming surprise pitcher as well. Pleasant Grove will be led in the lineup by 2023 OF and BYU commit, Ryker Schow, a PBR All-Tournament selection at last year's PBR Future Games, as a member of Team Utah. SS will be held down by USU-Eastern commit, Conner Bancroft, while the catching position will be manned by Chandler-Gilbert CC commit, Tate Lewis. Senior OF’er, Sam Haynie is receiving college interest as well. 3B and or an OF spot will belong to USU-Eastern commit, Kaden Davis. With four next level position players and a couple drawing interest, the Vikings should be able to score their fair share of runs.
On the pitching side, Conner Bancroft should see significant innings, along with being the everyday SS, but the bulk of innings will come from two 90 mph RH arms in 2023 Brayden Marx and 2023 Cruz Blackhurst. Marx, a PBR Future Games member of Team Utah has received 5-6 D1 offers, ranging from 3 WAC schools, one WCC team and is being courted by two Big 12 teams as well. Marx’s FB ranges from 88-92 and sits 88-90. Look for Marx to take that next step as he becomes the staff ace. Blackhurst is a surprise developed RHP that was recently clocked as high as 92 mph at a recent preseason game in Las Vegas. He will be squarely on college coaches radars, once he attends the March 5th PBR Utah Preseason All-State event at Desert Hills HS, along with Marx. So the Vikings should be set for the next 2 years with these two projectable power next level arms. Oh to be a high school program with that kind of luxury!
We now break down the Vikings with our team capsule below:
Pleasant Grove by the Numbers:
Head Coach: Darrin Henry (11th Year (2015 5A and 2019 6A Coach of the Year)
Classification: 6A
Region: 4
2021 Win-Loss: 26-6
State Playoff appearances in last 10 years: 10
State Championship appearances last 10 years: 4
State Championships last 10 years: 2
2021 MaxPreps Ranking: As high as 13th at one point
2021 Final PBR Utah Ranking: 3rd
2022 Preseason PBR Ranking: Stay Tuned!!
2019 6A State Runner-Ups
Key Returners with Class/Position
2023 Ryker Schow, 2B/SS/OF (BYU)
2023 Brayden Marx, RHP (Several D1's)
2022 Sam Haynie, OF
2022 Conner Bancroft, SS/2B (USU Eastern)
2022 Tate Lewis, C (Chandler Gilbert CC)
2022 Ty Caldwell, CF
2022 Kaden Davis, 3B/OF (USU Eastern)
2023 Cruz Blackhurst, RHP
Young players who have College potential down the road
Ryker Schow, 2B/SS/OF
Brayden Marx, RHP
RJ Wilson, RHP
Conner Bancroft, RHP/MIF
Sam Haynie, OF
Cruz Blackhurst, RHP (Touching 92 on the gun)
Luke Blake
Ty Caldwell, OF
Gage Trane
Kaden Davis, 3B/OF
Tua Wolfgramm, C/MIF
Who is your X Factor to your success?
Two 90+ mph arms anchoring the pitching rotation
2023 Brayden Marx, RHP
2023 Cruz Blackhurst, RHP
Player lost to graduation and College Baseball
2021 Kyler Lester, SS/RHP (BYU)
2021 Jordan Pace, RHP (Salt Lake CC)
2021 Ty Johnsen, C (Gonzaga)
Returning All-Region / All-State players
2022 Sam Haynie, OF
2022 Tate Lewis, C
2023 Ryker Schow, OF, MIF
2023 Brayden Marx, RHP
Coaches Summary and Outlook
"The 2022 Pleasant Grove Vikings have a lot of potential to be right in the mix for a run in the 6A State Playoffs again. Ryker Schow, Brayden Marx, Conner Bancroft, Tate Lewis, Sam Haynie, and Ty Caldwell will bring experience and leadership to a team that is ready to compete in a great region and state classification. We will be missing some great players from last year, but several players have already stepped up in the summer and fall showing that they are ready to establish their own legacy."
- Coach Darrin Henry
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