Utah 2022 Top 10 Rankings Released
December 22, 2020
A couple weeks back, we released the first edition of the Utah 2021 Top 10 Player Rankings. As a reminder the list is put together, through subjective and objective (data/metrics) means. After a year and in some cases two years of following this class as a MLB area scout, as well as scouting various tournaments, area code tryouts, fall in-game looks, talking with coaches, viewing video and taking into account the college commitments of this class, as well as knowledge of the type of recruitment this list is garnering, this list is as close to thorough as one gets at this point in time. Being that this class is the oldest class of the underclassman, other players may be discovered, scouted and passed along to me over the next calendar year. So it’s on these players to continue to improve, work hard and be as visible as possible. I will also be out to games throughout the spring, not only checking up on this list, but looking to find other talented players as well.
As mentioned above, with continuing to work hard, I want to relay a story. I was in the home of a player 4 years ago, who I had just signed to a 1.2M signing bonus for the Brewers, a close family friend of the player, who also worked for the club, thought it was important to relay a piece of advice to the player, to put things in perspective. He said to him, “You know what Jeff’s job is once he walks out that door don’t you?” “Well his job is to go out and find your replacement”.
You that follow @PBR_Utah, have seen our posts of various players on our social media platforms with this class, now there’s a list, a face in some cases and now reports. Enjoy!
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Mic Paul OF / Olympus , UT / 2022Paul was the player I was anticipating seeing the most, after being made aware of him, I hadn’t seen him live, except on video and “Mic” didn’t disappoint. A U Arizona commit, Paul had the second best 60 time at 6.64 and produced top 5 exit speeds of up to 92 MPH. A quick twitch med strong build with another 15-20 Lbs of added muscle to pack on in time, at 5-11 170 Paul is wound tight and has an engaging personality as well. The overall hitting package to go along with his game changing speed, will be carrying tools to the next level. He starts from a crouched square stance with a flat bat into and inside his back shoulder. He starts to shift into his back side, while turning the bat into a high elbow and gets into his load with the bat at a 45 degree angle. He takes a soft yet avg stride length and is soft at foot strike. The bat takes a slight uphill path, from a short compact stroke, with length out front and gets some launch effect into a strong powerful two hand finish. It was a strong showing from the best 2022 hitter in the state. |
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Luke Anderson OF / 3B / Snow Canyon, UT / 2022I have known Luke from the beginning of time. A former next door neighbor for 15 years, I have seen his baseball playing progression for years now, and what he does is perform. Anderson committed to BYU in the winter of his sophomore year, and was off to a strong start to his season, before the pandemic shut the season down. Luke had a strong showing at the Fall Prospect ID, with a class best 95.6 exit velo, while displaying solid avg bat speed. A Semi wide, open stance, Luke takes his body back and into the load phase, with a med knee lift and balances while turning the bat into the 45 degree position, allowing for a powerful base, that creates good separation. The path is short and quick with a direct path to the ball and gets length out front and whips the bat into a two hand finish. The arm from the OF is clean and pure with a solid stroke and shows an avg arm with solid one hop carry and is accurate. Not a toolsy player, but does have bat speed and strength and has performed all throughout his young amateur career. |
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Payton Gubler SS / RHP / Desert Hills, UT / 2022A two way multi faceted “baseball player” that can beat you 3 ways as an amateur, with his glove, his arm and the bat. The Desert Hills SS also takes his turn in the rotation and has created a name for himself over the past year, playing for the powerful Team Utah ‘22, and the Mets Scout Team ’22 in AZ. Gubler showed at the Fall Prospect ID, why he will be a very strong player at the next level. A recent BYU commit, Payton had the 2nd best exit velo in his class at 95.4, and produced another at 95.1 and 94.3. A strong BP session, with a classic RHH stance and starts with the bat at a 45, and rocks back to load and fires his hands in a short compact manner, with length out front and whips the bat into a strong and high one hand finish. At SS, he showed dance to his educated feet, and showed actions and is fluid in his approach to the baseball. As he gathers and separates the hands, he gets his arm up quick and gets off a strong and accurate throw across the diamond. An all around player that also produced 90 MPH FB’s in his pen session, Gubler profiles in the MIF, but could be a strong two way type at BYU and provide roster flexibility for a nationally ranked program. Doesn't show big tools, but is schooled in the fundamentals and knows how to play the game. A sum of all his parts type, which is what a “baseball player” is. Plays the game the right way. |
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Dane Thorpe C / 3B / Dixie, UT / 2022The top uncommitted bat in the state. It won’t be long before Thorpe is committed and schools need to jump on this kid, as he is a brute strong 6-1 190 and can frame and receive the ball well. With an arm velo of 80 and have seen better, Thorpe shows off an avg arm in the OF, and produced exit speeds as high as 95.6 in BP and there I’ve seen better as well. The bat has been on fire all summer/fall, and at the Fall Prospect ID, he showed a semi wide open stance, and his front knee/foot is synced well with his hands as he lifts his front foot and from a flat set of the bat, he turns the barrel to a 45 into the load phase, then softly lands the front foot and takes a short powerful compact stroke into a powerful two hand around the back shoulder finish. Athletic for a catcher and can play multiple positions, to get him out of the crouch and keep him athletic. The bat is the carrying tool and one to watch as I believe he’s gonna have a big junior year for the Flyers of Dixie High. |
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Fisher Ingersoll SS / American Fork, UT / 2022Ingersoll is probably the best athlete in the ‘22 class, as he is a two sport star, committed to BYU as a LHH SS, playing for one of the top 6A programs in the state. What is also interesting is that he is one of the best HS football players in the state as well. As a WR on a powerhouse football team as well, the ultra projs Ingersoll put up big numbers as a receiver with 74 catches, 1,142 yards, 19 TD’s, 50 tackles, 1 sack, 6 INT’s and 4 defensive TD’s! On the baseball side, Fisher has a physical 6-3 185 lean athletic build and looks to be able to pack on another 15-20 Lbs of muscle as he physically matures. A LHH with a fluid fast bat and solid hitting stroke, drive balls gap-gap and uses his speed and also is an aggr defender with educated feet and fields out front and makes accurate throws across the diamond. With 2 years to go in HS, there’s no telling where he could go and if the football part takes on a life of its own. For now he’s committed to baseball at the next level, but what he does on the gridiron, can only enhance his profile and translate to the diamond moving forward. |
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Garrison Sumner RHP / Westlake, UT / 2022An XL frame with a lean athletic build with long arms and a strong lower 1/2, Sumner has the type of frame, arm action and arm speed to carry a bit more. With a tall address, then taking a simple side step to start a flexible high kick delivery, he shows a drop and drive style, while getting into his legs in pounding FB’s downhill and into the bottom portion of the zone. The arm action that was over the top and producing FB’s in the 84-87 range last spring, took a jump in the summer as he lowered his arm slot to a TQ and his velo jumped to 86-89 and 88-91 at times. The CB 74-76 shows TQ tilt and proper spin. At times it backs up on him to LHH, but when he catches it right, it has tight late depth and is a swing and miss pitch. With 2 years of HS remaining, it will be interesting to see where his development takes him. For now it was enticing enough to receive an offer and commit to the U Utah. Definite high follow! |
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Isaac Lyon SS / RHP / Snow Canyon, UT / 2022Rankings StateRank: 7 / POS: 3
12/21/20 Previously written up as a RHP, we got to see the offensive/defensive part of his two way profile, as he was taking a break from the mound due to getting ready for basketball season. Isaac the son of longtime MLB RHP, Brandon Lyon shows the same build as his Father at the same stage of development. As a SS, there's athleticism and some educated feet and fields from the ground up. The feet are active and live, with plenty of forward momentum in shortening his throws. The arm plays and the ball exits his hand clean with something on it, while hitting the 1B’man in the chest. Able to throw from multiple arm angles with accuracy. From the offensive end, he’s made big strides, and he’s added strength with the bat. Gets separation with a short stride and soft landing, while hitting off a firm front side. The stroke is online with some uphill, yet is compact and short to the ball with some one and two hand finish, depending on where the pitch location is and what he’s trying to do with the baseball. He does need to get loaded into his back hip and utilize his backside better, which will even increase what he brings to the table with an EV of 95.7. A definite two way type that has two years of HS left to make some noise and the belief is that he will do both with the bat and his arm. 10/03/20 A med lean even prop athletic build that has bloodlines. Isaac is the son of former MLB RHP-Brandon Lyon (13 Yrs). Was off to a fast start on the mound with 11K’s thru 9 inns of work before the shutdown in the spring. Plays for the highly competitive Team Utah 2022, and has really taken a step in a year, going from the upper 70’s with the FB, to the mid 80’s at present. Features a NWU med balanced kick to delivery and repeats for the most part and has an idea. The arm action is short, quick and has proper arc and acceleration through a HTQ slot. The FB 84-86 has mild late arm side life and is around the plate. The CB 72-73 is slvy with TQ tilt with flashes of solid avg at times. Chance to be a weapon in time, as his body matures and gains added velo to the FB. CH 78-79 shows abv avg potential with feel and late sink. A pitcher now, as his father was at the same stage, before the velo came in college. Uncommitted at present, yet has D1 interest. One to definitely follow with bloodlines, pitchability, a proj build and quick arm.
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Kaden Carpenter LHP / 1B / American Fork, UT / 2022Rankings StateRank: 8 / POS: 1
XXL tall frame at 6-5 215 with a physical good look in a uniform. Country strong with big feet and hands. Still room for added weight and strength at manhood. Plays for one of the 6A powerhouse programs in the state, and with 2 years of HS to go, he could break out and do big things. Offensively, he has a semi crouched even prop stance and holds the hands at the shoulder with a vertical bat and close to the body. With an already flexed back knee, he rocks back slightly and softly picks up the foot and lays it down, with a slight turn of the knob and dropping below his shoulder for his load, Carpenter then takes a simple EZ fluid short compact stroke into the baseball with length out front, into a high one hand finish, and the ball jumps off his bat with easy power. Makes all the plays at 1B/OF and will man a corner, as speed is not part of his game. The LH power bat is the carrying tool, to go along with his left arm on the mound. The arm was a brief look and will need more to go off, but the velo (up to 88), build, easy proj power from his LH bat, place him in the conversation among the state’s best players. |
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Easton Romero C / 1B / Spanish Fork, UT / 2022Rankings StateRank: 9 / POS: 2
A Lg frame with a lean athletic build and solid lower 1/2, Romero is a C/OF that has seen the majority of his time throughout his early career in the OF, and had his sophomore season wiped out after 4 games, due to the pandemic. A travel ball stalwart for the elite Team Utah ‘22, he has an even props square stance from the left side and holds the bat upright and over his back shoulder. He rocks into his back hip and stays back and turns the hands/knob to load, taking an inside out type, fluid fast stroke through the baseball with a complete and whippy two hand finish around his back shoulder. He makes all the routine plays in the OF and has some catching up to do on both sides of the ball, due to the pandemic and limited time as a freshman. However the athleticism, size, bat speed and fluid stroke, enticed BYU enough to offer and commit the Don from Spanish Fork. Will be following his junior year closely. |
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Logan West OF / Crimson Cliffs, UT / 2022Rankings StateRank: 10 / POS: 3
Lg frame with a wiry lean athletic build and has some twitch. Logan is one of the better ‘22 players in the state. Was off to a superb start to his sophomore season when the season was shut down. A former catcher that’s made the move to the OF due to his athleticism and speed. Plays for the elite Team Utah ‘22s and faces good competition and excels. With 6.8/60 speed and long galloping strides, he fits well in the OF. The offensive side is his calling card, and he took a really good round of BP. He starts with a slightly wider than shoulder width square stance and rocks back into his back hip with his back knee flexed and lifts his foot and strides into a soft foot strike. The bat is flat and then lifts to a 45 and has quality hand and lower 1/2 separation. He fires the hands inside the baseball and takes a short path with contact out front and whips the bat through the zone with a one hand high high finish. In the OF he fields out front and then takes his body toward his target and his arm stroke is long and arching, which he needs to find a happy medium between a longer vs short stroke he once had behind the dish and blend to the two. This is fixable as the arm action is in there to correct, which isn’t easy. But he brings speed, athleticism, proj size and strength with the ability to hit potentially at the D1 level.
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