Utah HS Player and Pitcher of the Week: Week 6

April 19, 2022
Jeff Scholzen
Utah Scouting Director

Player of the Week

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

Rankings State Rank: 1 / POS: 1 Overall Rank: 77 / POS: 17

Commitment: TCU

G 3 AB 9 R 6 H 5 HR 2 RBI 3 2B 1 BB 2

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.

**PBR Future Games Alum**

Billy Bird 1B / LHP / Timpanogos, UT / 2023

Rankings State Rank: 8 / POS: 2 Overall Rank: 345 / POS: 12

Commitment: Utah

G 3 AB 11 R 5 H 7 RBI 3 2B 5 3B 1

A Future Games participant with good size and present and projectable strength. A two way type that is being recruited as such. It starts with big pull side juice from the 1B position and he has some natural lift and ext to drive the ball to all parts of the field. He will have all fields power when all is said and done. Right now it plays straight away to the pull side and he has a very good sophomore season with the bat. The arm is the intriguing part as he has a little Mark Mulder feel to him. The delivery is a raise the leg and tuck the front shoulder with a late shoulder turn out front. The arm swing is low TQ and with some length and whip. He gets to a full finish out front and does have some spin out at times, but is correctable. The FB was 83-86 at LakePoint, but have seen 88 in the spring. The FB has some late natural sink and the CB sweeps. The CH is the weapon as he can kill spin and shows FB arm speed to create deception. The CH dives and has some turnover effect in the bottom part of the zone. One of the better two way guys out there.

**PBR Future Games Alum**

Pitcher of the Week

Brayden Marx RHP / OF / Pleasant Grove, UT / 2023

Rankings State Rank: 10 / POS: 3 Overall Rank: 441 / POS: 137

Uncommitted: Many Offers

IP 7 H 2 R 0 ER 0 BB 2 SO 16

The top uncommitted arm in the ‘23 class, Marx has scholarship offers to a half dozen programs, and is betting on himself to find his best fit. With offers ranging from west coast schools to Midwest D1 interest from the Power 5, Marx has jumped his velo from 83-85 a year ago to a T92 in the fall, and sits 88-90 on most days. Posting an 86-88 mph FB at the Preseason All-State, Marx had the flu for a week and had just overcome being sick, when he still showed up, to increase his stock and be present. A baseball junkie, Marx has become a name since his breakout performance at the PBR Future Games last summer, Marx posts very high spin rates to his CB 2656 with a velo range of 71-75. The CB has short, quick tunneling action and reacts like a hard SL in shape and depth, yet because it comes out of a short, ball to ear type HTQ slot, the pitch locks up hitters and darts and dives with late zone action. The CH 76-78 kills spin with an average spin of 1738. Like most HS pitchers, Marx can work off the FB/CB combo and sprinkle in the CH to keep hitters honest. With two seasons of HS baseball remaining, look for Marx to be a region player of the year type arm moving forward, and landing in the college spot of his choice.

**PBR Future Games Alum**