Utah HS Player and Pitcher of the Week: Week 1

Throughout the spring season, PBR Utah will announce a player and pitcher of the week, every Tuesday, from the previous week. The awards are based on what kind of statistical week the player had, and it will be subjective, based on my evaluation of the player. Also you do not have to have attended a PBR event to earn the award, but I will lean towards the player I know more thoroughly and also what kind of collegiate prospect that player is. So it isn't only stats, but that is where it starts, with the other criteria as separators in case of a close call. In the event of two performance's in the each category, that could go either way, as to which gets the nod, two awards for that category will be given. Such is the case this week, with two pitchers of the week. 

All three players I'm very familiar with and have attended PBR Utah, however all three separated themselves from the rest of the pack with their performances for the Week of 3/6 - 3/11.

Player of the Week

Justin Michaelis 1B / RHP / Park City, UT / 2025 Rankings  State Rank: 6 / POS: 1   Uncommitted 2022 All-Region / All-State as a freshman 2/11/23 2023 PBR Future Games Invite This kid is a really big dude at 6-4 280. Not only is he a big man in a 16 yr old body, but looks the part of a NFL offensive lineman. Playing for one of the better HS coaches in the state in Dave Feasler, Justin is a Dallas, TX move into the state of Utah. Coach Feasler who has data at his HS and the PCH Baseball Academy, told me this kid would put up big numbers on trackman and blast motion, and did he ever, as he led the 71 player event, in exit velocity at 105+ as well as max distance at 397’. Michaelis also put up big swing metrics with blast, as he featured 26.4 hand speed and a ridiculous 87.4 max bat speed. As a freshman, Michaelis put up a stat line of a .367 BA with 2 HR, 11 2B and 30 RBI as a freshman! I really look forward to seeing this young man play this coming spring, as he made my short list for consideration for the PBR Future Games in late July at LakePoint! National Preseason ID leader in Exit Velo: 105.3

 

Pitcher of the Week

Cayson Bell RHP / SS / Dixie, UT / 2023 Rankings  State Rank: 16 / POS: 7   Committed: Glendale CC 2022 1st Team All-Region 10 / 4A 2nd Team All-State 3/9/23 Bell matched up against high profile 2024 ASU commit, Easton Barrett in the opeing game of the season in the Sunshine Tournament, and Bell showed what we had been seeing throughout the Jan/Feb preseason velocity wise. The FB that was 83-87 all through a 9-0 junior season, and through the summer month's, culminating in Bell shutting things down after the PBR West Coast Games, due to fatigue, is now sitting 88-90 T91!! Bell was holding the velocity during this matchup, and touched 90 in the 5th inning, as he was cruising. With BYU commit and teammate Ridge Erickson putting on a clinic behind the plate, the top pitcher/catcher duo in the state, went to work in taking care of a Springville lineup, that had no answer for Bell. Cayson's final line: IP 6 H 2 R 1 ER 1 BB 1 SO 10, as he moved to a perfect 13-0 since the start of his sophomore year. It will be interesting to see where this new found toy, in establishing a FB that has jumped 4-5 mph since last summer. A pitcher that mixes and matches a late breaking 71-73 mph CB and solid avg CH 81-83 w/late hard sink, gives hitters a spacing of 3 pitches, that are becoming hard to cover and get the sweet spot too.   8/20/22 Cayson really jumped on the scene this past spring as he led the state with a perfect 9-0 record and coupled with his sophomore season of 3-0, Bell is undefeated at 12-0, spanning the last two years. Lean, with and more skinny throughout, the frame is slight and does need to put added weight and strength, to hold up for more than a 2-3 month HS season. The base delivery and arm action and arm speed is in place, to make quick strides in velocity. Pitches out of the stretch only and features a unique setup in his hold position. He sets his front leg in a closed position and then leans back and lifts into a flexible high kick to delivery. The momentum down the slope and stride length, lengthen out to use the slope to power the ball down on the zone. In the spring when at full strength, the arm speed is whippy and has a loose wrist to finish pitches, yet needs to use his wrist and fingers more to back spin the ball and really rip through the seems to get the baseball to take off through the zone. The FB sat comfortably at 84-88 w/run and sink w/kill spin. Needs to spin the ball tighter to be able to turn the ball over to a 4 seamer to utilize the top portion of the zone, to all the ball to keep its plane for swing and misses. The CB 72-76 takes on true TQ shape w/loose depth in the zone. The CH 75-79 has kill spin action with run, sink and depth. Currently his best secondary pitch and he maintains FB arm speed and the pitch has deception and gets swings and misses. Has an idea on the mound and competes and has know-how. Look for a strong senior year as he is drawing interest with a couple of JC offers in hand!

Pitcher of the Week

Chase Johnston LHP / Maple Mountain , UT / 2025 Rankings  State Rank: 3 / POS: 1 Overall Rank: 359 / POS: 40   Uncommitted 2022 All-Region **2023 Future Games invite** 3/4/23 Johnston is projecting like top college level pitcher project, as he was 80-84 at the Future Games last July, however as he's filling out and the body/strength are maturing, so has his velocity. The Delivery is the same and he shows deception thru a high glove to kick delivery, that stretches out nicely as he gains momentum down the slope. The FB now plays 83-85 T86, and with continued growth physically and his strength matures into man strength over time, the FB projects nicely into a high 80's to low 90's type LHP, that should garner D1 offers. The CB has quality shape and TQ tilt w/depth, and projects for a harder version CB with added bite as time goes on. The type of arm to project over the next 2-2.5 years, as he just made his 1st start of his sophomore season, and the line score read: IP 5 H 2 R 2 ER 0 BB 0 SO 11. This folks is a D1 arm w/pitchability and with former Utah Tech and BYU pitching coach of a decade, as his head coach at Maple Mountain (Jeremy Thomas), Johnston is in good hands throughout his remaining HS years.  Johnston will be a returner for the 2023 PBR Future Game in Atlanta on July 26-29 a the PBR Lake Point Sports Complex! 10/30/22 2022 PBR Future Games Johnston came to the Summer ID in July of 2021 and was in the low to mid 70’s with his FB, but you could tell the arm action and delivery to throw harder, but feeling was it was much further down the road, a credit to Chase, as he came into the 2022 HS season, as a starter in the rotation as a freshman, while being tutored by his new head coach, Jeremy Thomas, who I signed to his professional contract back in the day. Thomas was the pitching coach for over a decade at Dixie State and BYU, so Johnston was learning from a high level instructor. Johnston dominated the competition at the 5A level for Maple Mountain, as he became the ace of the staff, and finished the season with a 7-3 record, 3.31 ERA with 61.1 IP, 55 H, 22 BB and 84 KO’s. The state that stuck out for me was he only allowed 4 unearned runs all spring. That means he has swing and miss stuff and can leave runners stranded and bail out his defense when errors are committed. That’s the competitor stat that I use to see if a pitcher can compete, as well as pitch, with swing and miss stuff. Johnston’s FB was 81-85 at the Future Games and this past weekend was 83-85 with a spin rate of 2,374 which is MLB avg and is why his velocity plays up and misses bats. The CB has downward tilt at 68-71 and the CH 77 has kill spin at a spin of 1,666 to complete a 3 pitch mix. With 3 years of HS, it wouldn’t surprise me if a classification MVP contender is in his future as well as reaching the low 90’s and becoming a serious D1 prospect from the left side of the rubber.  8/07/22 The #1 pitcher in the 2025 class, showed why at the Future Games, as he threw outstanding in his 2 innings of work. Showing a tall flexible high kick to his delivery, while landing sound out front with a loose, fluid HTQ arm slot. The delivery has the features at clean up over the next 3 years to turn into a D1 prospect. The FB 80-84 has the makings with his loose arm to turn into a 90 mph arm in due time. The CB has OH to TQ shape with depth/bottom. The CH fades with turnover sink and feel. Chase put up a monster year as a freshman ace on the varsity, as he punched out 84 batters in 62 IP with only 22 BB. Winning 7 games as well, Chase didn’t look dazed by the competition at the Future Games and if he stays uncommitted, he will once again be headed to Lake Point in 2023!

 

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JEFF SCHOLZEN (BIO)

Scholzen was brought on as the Utah Scouting Director for Prep Baseball Report 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 a similar capacity as the Four Corners Scouting Supervisor. In all, Scholzen served as a full-time scout for 20 years. Scholzen also 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 likes of current and former major league players: Kris Bryant, Kevin Gausman, Greg Bird, Tyler Wagner, Aaron Blair, Joey Rickard, Donn Roach, Johnny Field, Taylor Cole and Paul Sewald to name a few. During his run with the the Angels, Scholzen served as the hitting coach for the Angels rookie ball affiliate with the Pioneer League Orem Owlz, helping guide the Owlz to the 2005 and 2007 Pioneer League titles.

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 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. 

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 from 1991-1992.