Prep Baseball Report

Utah Player and Pitcher of the Week: Ross, Morris, Robinson, Faust


Jeff Scholzen
Utah Scouting Director

Throughout the spring season, PBR Utah will announce a player and pitcher of the week, every Tuesday, from the previous week. Coaches are sent emails to recommend players for the awards weekly. 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.. 

Players of the Week

Jacob Faust OF / RHP / Olympus , UT / 2023

 

Uncommitted

Week 7 (April 17-22) Stat Line:

G 3 AB 14 R 8 H 8 HR 5 RBI 16

2021 Future Games

2022 West Coast Games

8/14/22

‘21 A Future Game alum that I’ve seen quite a bit, but it’s been 5 months since my last look and Jake has smoothed out his swing and the ball jumps as it did a year ago, and there’s less violence. During the workout phase of the West Coast Games, the sweet spot found his barrel often, as he showed feel time up the baseball to the pull side w/solid rhythm and timing. The arm from the OF has some LTQ shoulder restriction from back to front/release. This makes the ball tail and go off like and he needs to work on his accuracy of his throws. Does run well for a big kid and has always been in the 6.8-6.9/60 range, every runner at the WCG’s was .2-.3 slower than their normal times, due to heavy rain the night before the workout, causing the running track to be slow. Jake’s tools are his running ability and he looks to steal bases and takes a good turn at 1B, while being aggressive in looking for xtra bases. Jake can hit velocity and when he is going right, he can juice the baseball from the pull side to RCF and does show pull side power, but he’s more of hard, xtra base to the wall type power. Needs to work on his defense, and instincts on the other side of the ball. But the metrics are there, the instincts to hit are there and he was a key cog in the middle of Olympus’ order, as the Titans were walked off in the deciding game 3 of the two of three format for the 5A Utah State Championship!

 

11/21/21

A Future Games alum, Faust has intriguing two way potential as a corner OF with power and really good hitting data and also performs. Jacob put up a 7.18/60 and has also posted a 6.94 in the last. With big hand and bat speeds of 24.4 and 79.3, to go along with an EV of 97.2, Faust has the profile of a corner bat, with some thump. On the mound the FB 83-85 this weekend has been 85-88 in the past, but has been rehabbing from a broken hamate bone in his left hand, that has prevented him from getting quality reps, but look for big things come spring as Faust will be counted on as a force on both sides of the ball, for a deep playoff run for Olympus that boast college talent throughout. 


7/31/21

A Future Games participant as one of 2 two way players for Team Utah as a OF/RHP. It was discovered after the event that Jake was playing with a broken hamate bone in his left hand, and what’s amazing is he still put up big hand and bat speed metrics with Blast and Trackman recorded 95 mph EV’s!! He played the first 2 games in the field, then took his turn in the rotation. He showed a balanced NWU delivery with a high knee kick with a semi extend leg, and used his back side to generate 81-85 mph FB’s with sink. The CB 69-73 flashes TQ shape with S/M depth for a couple of K outs in his 2 inns of work. I have seen him better with the velo, as was later discovered with the hand, this could of effected his front side use of his mechanics to create pull from his front side to match the intensity of his back side. It will be interesting to see where he is come late fall at a future event after the healing has taken place. Colleges don’t sleep on this kid as he is gonna be a name to definitely remember!

A two way player with 3 years of developing and has a solid ceiling and while it’s too early to tell whether he’s gonna be a bat or an arm on the mound, he does possess next level college ability with the bat and the arm. As a hitter, he stands upright with a slight crouch and his feet together and open, and brings his front foot back to square, then loads the bat at a solid 45 degree angle. He does drift with his hips somewhat, but keeps his hands in the ready position and fires the hands inside the baseball and shows a fast bat for his age at 72.7 mph, with a 95.06 EV. What’s intriguing is that he also ran a 6.94/60 and touched 83 with a semi quick arm from the mound. Definite one of the top ‘23s in the state

 

 

 

Ryder Robinson SS / 2B / American Fork, UT / 2023

 

Committed: Texas Christian U

Week 7 (April 17-22) Stat Line:

G 3 AB 12 R 7 H 6 HR 4 RBI 7 2B 2

4 HR in the last two games, and the final two were hit from each side of the plate in game 3 of the week. 

2/05/23

Super 60 Report

Robinson arrived in Chicago ready to prove a point, and show why he should be included among the best HS players in the country. As a rising junior at the PBR Future Games, Robinson was coming off a .440 1st Team All-State season as a sophomore, and checking in at 6-2 165, Robinson was a high contact bat over power at that point in his development, but after turning in another 1st Team All-State campaign as a junior, hitting a the top of a loaded American Fork lineup, Ryder followed up with a .436 average to go along with 6 Hr’s, and his second 50+ run scored season. Now a still lanky 6-2 190, Robinson has the frame and structure to reach 6-2 205 and is now showing big power potential, along with the high contact rates. At the Super 60, Robinson showed off a smooth and easy mirrored hitting stroke from both sides of the plate, with big sweet spot contact. With Blast Motion capturing his hand speed at 25.4 and the max bat speed at 78.4 and an EV of 99 from Trackman. Now remember this event was a pro style event using wood, and if this was a standard showcase style event in a home state, aluminum bats would be used and the EV could have been measured in the 100-102 range. Robinson also showed off educated feet and hands at SS with twitchy actions, along with range and agility. The big improvement to his game, was his increase in arm strength, as Robinson was 79-80 mph in 2021-2022, and was clocked at 85 mph at the Super 60, giving promise that the arm will continue to trend towards 90 mph at maturity, giving him a chance to remain in the dirt, on the left side of the INF at the next levels of play. To say that Robinson was a name that scouts may or may not have known, but do now, would be an understatement. 

 

3/06/22

Robinson the #1 ranked player in the ‘23 class and a TCU commit, didn’t do anything to be knocked off that perch, as he sprayed hard LD’s to all fields from both sides of the plate during his BP round. With 3 MLB scouts in attendance, Robinson was immediately noticed and it won’t take long for other scouts to do the same. A PBR Future Games alum and a 2021 1st Team All-Region and 1st Team All-State honoree, Robinson has a silky smooth stroke to hit from both sides of the plate and makes it look EZ. A bloodline player, as his uncle was a four year starting 3B at BYU and his Father was an All-American MIF at CSI and played in the Cardinals chain for three years. Ryder’s older brother Crew was a 1st Team JUCO All-American at CSI a year ago and currently plays at UC-San Diego. Robinson is also the leadoff hitter for national powerhouse American Fork and lef the state in runs scored with 52 a year ago. Look for Robinson to contend for state player of the year honors before he culminates his HS career. 


7/31/21

A Future Games participant and stole the show according to Shooter Hunt on workout day. Team Utah was hurt by a late start and we got started around 10pm to hit and most coaches had called it a night, but Ryder stepped in and barreled balls to the allies with 92 mph EV’s with a crisp, fluid, yet slightly uphill smooth stroke from both sides of the plate. The swings looked like a mirror was flipped, as he had the same virtual look on both sides of the plate. Barreled balls in all directions. In the game he showed defensively like the workout, with educated feet and soft hands in playing ground up and out front with a fringe to avg, but accurate on line arm. The defense looks a bit like a 16 yr old version of former UNLV 1st Rd pick Bryson Stott and former 5th Rd ASU pick Gage Workman (who I drafted out of HS). The game clock is slow and even though the slew of over 300 college coaches, of which were baring down on us, Ryder didn’t let any moment get too big. He took vicious cuts at cripple count FB’s that he just missed in fouling straight back to the screen. Tough with 2 K’s, Robinson was tough to put away as he has plus hand/eye to spoil pitches and spit on tough pitches for quality takes. With a couple of big offers in hand, other offers will be coming in the not too distant future. Look for Ryder to be committed soon! 

 

5/15/21

Only a sophomore, but hits out of the leadoff spot for one of the powerhouse teams in the state. Brother of Crew Robinson, who is a stud hitter at College of Southern Idaho. Father Darek was a MIF and All-American at CSI in the early 90’s and played in the Cardinals system. Is a high contact hitter and puts the ball in play and squares up pitches on a line. Switch hitter like his father and has really good feel from both sides of the plate. Has a silky smooth hitting stroke with abv avg hand/eye. Defensively he has educated feet and plus hands. Has SS range at 2B and his hands are really soft. Has committed only one error through the first 13 games of the season. Can really pick it and will be a Future Games attendee. Big future and legit D1 prospect. 

  

Pitchers of the Week

Jaiven Ross LHP / 1B / Crimson Cliffs, UT / 2023

 

Committed: Salt Lake CC

Week 7 (April 17-22) Stat Line:

IP 5 H 0 R 0 ER 0 BB 3 SO 5

2nd Combined NO-HITTER in 3 Weeks

This past week - Read the Wednesday edition of Utah Diamond Notes for an extensive piece on the recent Crimson/Dixie Region 10 series, by clicking HERE. 

Aaron Morris RHP / Crimson Cliffs, UT / 2023

 

Committed: Cal-State Monterey Beach

Week 7 (April 17-22) Stat Line:

IP 3 H 0 R 0 ER 0 BB 1 SO 2

Entered the game in the 6th inning of a 0-0 tie and threw 3 no-hit innings, until Crimson Cliffs scored 2 in the top of the 8th and Morris shut the door for the win in the bottom of the 8th.


2nd Combined NO-HITTER in 3 Weeks

This past week - Read the Wednesday edition of Utah Diamond Notes for an extensive piece on the recent Crimson/Dixie Region 10 series, by clicking HERE. 

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

SHOWCASE STATE DATE LOCATION

2023 PBR CA-NV-AZ-UT ProCase (Invite Only)

UT 06/04 University of Southern California - Dedeaux Field
2023 PBR Scout Day: NorCal Valley Utah UT 06/12 Snow Canyon HS
2023 PBR Scout Day: CBA Summit UT 06/17 Snow Canyon HS
2023 PBR Scout Day: Rawlings Tigers UT 06/29 Skyline High School
Top Prospect Games (Invite-Only) UT 07/11 Salt Lake Community College
PBR Junior Future Games NATIONAL 07/25 LakePoint
2023 PBR Future Games (Utah Invite) NATIONAL 07/26 LakePoint Sports - Cartersville, GA

 

RELATED NEWS

 

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.