Utah Player and Pitcher of the Week: Lauaki, Taylor / Harris, Johnston
April 3, 2023
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 may be given.
Both these players I'm very familiar with and have attended many PBR Utah, however both separated themselves from the rest of the pack with their performances for the Week of March 19-26, as I was in attendance for Marx's gem and 2 of the 5 games Smith played this past week.
Players of the Week
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Naulivou Lauaki Jr. RHP / 1B / Springville, UT / 2024
Committed: U OregonWeek 4 (March 27-April 2) Stat Line: Hitting G 3 AB 10 R 6 H 7 HR 2 RBI 2 2B 3 BB 2 SO 1 Pitching IP 5.2 H 3 R 3 ER 2 BB 4 SO 11 8/02/22
Three days after returning home from the PBR Future Games, Lauaki made the commitment to play for the Oregon Ducks. Junior should jump to the top in the 2024 Ducks recruiting class. With an arm and bat, but more so the arm, Junior should be an immediate impact type rotation piece right away. Although with two years of HS remaining, Lauaki will jump to the #2 spot in the class of ‘24 rankings when they are released in 2 weeks. Lauaki made his presence felt right away on workout day with a couple of long HR’s during BP, as he launched an event best 404’ shot to deep LCF and threw EZ bullets across the INF from 1B. But it was on the mound that sealed the deal for his college choice, as he showed his best stuff to date. Lauaki has been 86-88, 88-91 T92 this summer, as he’s played all around the country. But it was in the humidity of Atlanta that he featured one of the two best FB’s recorded at the Future Games. Lauaki displayed an EZ effort, med kick to delivery with a fluid arm stroke, the FB sat 90-92 and topped out at 93.1 on the Trackman system and held his velocity in his 3 innings of work vs a very good hitting Team Kentucky. But the secondary pitch was just as lethal, with his SL coming in at 80-82 with late sharp tilt, that bottomed out. The pitch is a put away pitch, as he has abv avg feel to land and bury beneath bats for swing/misses. With an imposing 6-3 240 Lb build, Junior is not even close to gaining his man strength at 16 yrs old, it’s easy to dream of a mid to high 90’s heater as he reaches campus. The sky's the limit for the incoming junior at Springville HS.
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Luke (LT) Taylor C / 3B / Olympus, UT / 2024
Committed: U of Southern California
Week 4 (March 27-April 2) Stat Line: G 4 AB 12 R 5 H 5 HR 2 RBI 7 2B 1 10/30/22
2021 PBR Future Games Taylor has been one of our mainstays at our invite only events and was a breakout prospect at the Future Games in 2021. A toolsy player over skill right now, but soaks up instruction and lives and breathes the game. Once Taylor stepped in the box for the BP portion of the workout, it got quiet, as he launched a few high and deep to straightaway left and LCF, that brought rain on a couple. A fast bat that can produce bat speeds from 73-79 mph, with a slight uphill path and HR type stroke. Spreads out in an even prop square stance with his hands held deep and over his back foot to get his bat into a ready position, to just turn the barrel as he loads into his backside. Gets to quality separation and explodes his hands into the baseball with very projectable strength and future big raw power. The defense continues to improve. Still young and just turned 17, Taylor, still with two years left in HS, the best is yet to come.
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Pitchers of the Week
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Malik Harris RHP / 3B / Juan Diego Catholic , UT / 2023Rankings State Rank: 8 / POS: 2
Committed: U MemphisWeek 4 (March 29-April 2) Stat Line: IP 5 H 1 R 0 ER 0 BB 1 SO 12 10/30/22
The physically imposing corner bat, and future power arm, had a really good showing as he stung balls in the BP portion of the workout, with a powerful, quick and slightly uphill path to elevate and lift the ball. Has present avg raw power and is in line, with his man strength to come, to develop into plus raw. Showing a max EV of 100, with a 75% rate of sweet spot contact. During game action, Harris got a FB middle-middle and crushed it, high and deep to LCF and out of the park. On the mound, Harris has been working on staying back and separating out of the glove earlier and over the rubber. This helped him stay back as he kept his front side closed and drove the slope and plane of the mound. Lands sound and the arm is a HTQ whippy arc, with a loose wrist to finish pitches. The FB was 86-89 with late finish and hop. The CB 73-74 had an avg MLB spin of 2451, and as his velo climbs, so will the spin. The SL 77 takes on quick lateral action, though can blend at times with the CB and create a hybrid look. A definite two type talent at the next level with a commitment coming in the next two weeks. Stay tuned…
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Chase Johnston LHP / 1B / Maple Mountain , UT / 2025
Uncommitted2nd Pitcher of the Week Award Week 4 (March 29-April 2) Stat Line: IP 6 H 9 R 4 ER 2 BB 2 SO 14 3/04/23
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 L:akePoint 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 Lakepoint 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.