Utah HS Team Preview: Desert Hills HS

2022 PBR Future Games

2022 PBR West Coast Games

The 4A 1st ™ All-State SS and CSI commit took a clean efficient BP, by lining back spun shots from the LCF alley to straightaway LF. The metrics were his best yet at a PBR event from a Blast Motion standpoint, as he put up hand and bat speed metrics of 25.9 and 76.6 with an EV max of 91.3 in taking a clean crisp BP. Defensively the round was clean and crisp as the BP, showing athletic educated feet in sync with his glove work and firing EZ accurate throws across the diamond, while running a 7.20/60 on a slow wet track, with his best being a 6.93 at the Top Prospect Games in July. 

Positional Profile: SS/2B

Hits: RHH.
Power: 90 max exit velocity, averaged 87.4 MPH. 338' max distance.
Arm: RH. INF-80 mph .
Defense:
Run: 6.93 runner in the 60.
Vizual Edge: 79.12 Edge Score

DeCastro is as sound defensively as they come at SS in the entire state. A true SS, that doesn’t show flash, but picks everything left to right and comes in on the run well. Reminds me of Pirates SS, Kevin Newman. Steady Eddie with the glove. You hit it to him and you’re out. With the bat, DeCastro works counts and sprays LD’s in all directions with a high contact approach. A 6.9-7.0/60 is plenary for the next level, but what he lacks in pure speed, he makes up for with a high baseball IQ and + instincts for the position. A 2nd Team All-Region and HM All-State player as a sophomore, look for even further steps as he climbs to his ceiling. 

The Future Games alum, is one of the best defensive SS in the state and shows educated feet and a plus feel to receive the ball out front and make plays from all angles. Is as steady as they come and was an All-Region performer last spring. The bat, which is a contact type bat, is now driving the ball with something behind it and it’s evident with his hand speed and bat speeds of 25.8 and 73.6! The EV was 91.2 and the swing has more finish and length out front, which attests to his added strength over the last 3-4 months of hard work! Look for a good spring from DeCastro!

A Future Games and West Coast Games participant, Cole had his best BP to date, as he jumped from the 87 mark in EV to 91.2 and is squaring the ball up on a more consistent basis, the more of these high profile events he has earned. One of the better defensive SS in the state and in the 2023 class, DeCastro shows consistency at SS, and has solid avg range and athleticism to stay in the dirt. Sure handed and smooth, but not flashy, he is substance over flash, and this enables him to make and finish plays vs other MIF’ers in the state. The type that if you hit his direction, you’re out! The leadoff hitter on the 25-5 Desert Hills squad that finished this past spring as our #4 ranked team in the PBR Power 20, Cole hit near .400 with a high contact rate, and was an on-base candidate every time he stepped to the plate with a patient eye and zone recognition. I look for Cole to make additional strength gains over the next 6 months leading up to the 2022 season and will be a catalyst for the “Thunder” for the next 2 years, as he is now drawing college attention. 

A Future Games participant with a fundamentally sound game on the defensive side as he showed well as he has throughout his youth and into HS, as he plays technically sound with his feet and hands synced up at SS. Plays well on the move vertically/horizontally and if you hit it to him in a stationary position, he’s steady Eddie and you are out. His hands are soft and his arm is crisp and fluid and doesn’t have big arm strength, yet he is online and accurate with his throws. He’s a consistent defender. Offensively he has above avg hand and slightly abv bat speed, and is a singles and gap to gap type that could grow into more power as he matures, he just needs strength and barrel release to get there. An open bat head at launch prevents the leverage and torque needed to drive the ball and can cut off after contact, cutting down on his hard hit %. There are things to tweak and he has the aptitude to make adjs. A baseball player type!

2022 PBR Future Games Alum

2023 PBR Future Games Invite

Another Future Gamer and exciting young LHH catcher that should take over behind the plate full time for state power Desert Hills of St. George, UT. The son of former Dixie State catcher, Bryan Wilson, who was a member of the 2024 NJCAA National Champion team, “Willy” has a solid baseball IQ and avg to abv avg instincts. The #2 ranked catcher and #6 overall prospect in his class, features a flatter swing path, that keeps the bat head in the zone a long time, and is tough to K out, as he has a solid eye for the zone and spoils pitches to lengthen out AB’s. Wilson put up a personal best 96.4 exit velo and put up more personal best hand and bat speed data with 25.5 and an astounding 83.6. These are elite numbers for any class or at the next level. His bat speed has jumped 9 mph since last March at the Preseason All-State. Defensively “Willy” blocks and recovers well and still has some growth as a receiver, but has a quick exchange for pop tones in the 2.05-2.16 range and I believe he can cut that down to 1.95-2.05 over the next couple of years. He also scored well in the peak vertical jump at 29.6, suggesting there is spring in his lower ½ for a catcher. Really look forward to following his progress and having him once again at the PBR Future Games next summer!

Wilson, who already had a D1 offer headed into the Future Games, left with a few schools interested in his LHH catcher profile and the ability to play 1B equally well. His father was a catcher on the JUCO National Championship Dixie College team in 2004 and has schooled “Willy” well in the fundamentals. A varsity starter at Desert Hills as a freshman, features a strong eye at the plate, with zone and pitch recognition. A strong LH swing from a spread out and leaned back setup, and hold the bat semi flat over his back shoulder w/a raised back elbow. Wilson drives the knob at the ball, with a flatter swing plane and sprays LD’s to all fields with backspin carry. Behind the dish, he receives well for a young kid, and just needs to get added reps at the varsity level after making way for a senior this past spring. Most likely the job is his moving forward over the next 3 years. A strong arm for his age, and displays 2.05-2.16 pop times, that improve as he continues to fill out and gain added arm strength at maturity. Had some good AB’s at the Future Games and worked deep counts in making pitchers work. 

A strong LHH catcher and especially at a young age, captures attention. Much so, that he already has an early extended D1 offer on the table before playing HS baseball. Playing at state power Desert Hills HS will be a plus for his development as he will receive good coaching. A 2.1 range pop time is really good coming from a 15 yr old at present time. A 93.6 EV suggests strength is evident and present as well. With hand and bat speeds of 22.9 and 74.7, there are fast hands to work with at the plate. The swing is a lay it into the zone from a knee kick and the bat stays in the zone on a linear path, smashing LD’s to straightaway CF and to the pull side. One thing is for certain, his bat belongs in the lineup and his development will be aided by an early entry into varsity baseball.