Trey Johnson hit only two home runs this high school baseball season, but it’s the potential that Brian Domenico sees in the Hauser incoming senior that caused him to invite Johnson to this year’s Power Showcase in Phoenix.
"What’s nice about the Power Showcase is, all these kids are personally selected," Domenico said. "So when I come across kids like Trey who has the projectability and needs to be infused with training like this. We say, ‘OK, what’s this finished product going to be like?’ and use this as a vehicle and a catalyst. The potential is limitless for this kid."
Domenico, a former minor league pitcher in the Oakland Athletics and Boston Red Sox organizations, is the president and CEO of Power Showcase. He has invited a host of sluggers, including Johnson, to the showcase Nov. 15-17 at Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Domenico gets on websites such as Perfect Game and Prep Baseball Report and looks for video. If a player meets certain criteria, he reaches out to the high school coach, in this case, Hauser’s Nate Long.
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"He called Nate and told him that he searches the web every day looking for guys to fill slots," Johnson said. "I was actually very stoked about it. It’s a very big deal. For me to be chosen for that is truly a blessing."
Although Johnson had a big year at the plate as a sophomore, he did most of his damage on the mound as a junior this spring. He went 3-1 with a 1.11 ERA, while batting .322 with two homers, 24 RBIs and 29 runs scored for a team that went 19-6 and finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the state in Class A.
The 6-foot-6, 215-pound left-handed pitcher and hitter has been clocked with a 95 MPH exit velocity off the bat.
"(Long) agreed with everything I said about Trey," Domenico said. "He said, ‘Brian, he hit a ball 350 or 360 feet, and it never got a foot off the ground.’ When Trey can flash extreme high potential and realizing his dream, I can’t wait until he is hitting balls in the upper deck at Chase Field."
Johnson has been in Florida the past week playing with his 17-and-under Midwest Astros team in an 18-and-under tournament in Panama City.
Today, Johnson begins playing in the UnderArmour World Series Classic at Pirate City in Bradenton, Florida. The event runs through Saturday.
"I’ve been preparing for it, going out and hitting every day," Johnson said. "I’ve been waiting for it. This is definitely the biggest one that I’ve ever been to or that I’ll ever be to."
Johnson, who also plays basketball for the Jets, has baseball scholarship offers from Division I Eastern Illinois, along with Purdue Northwest and Lewis University. He also has received looks from D-I schools Indiana State, Eastern Kentucky and Cincinnati.
This summer, Johnson has batted around the .500 mark with six home runs.
"It’s been going great," Johnson said. "I’m seeing the ball well. From a team standpoint, we didn’t win as many tournaments as we would have liked, but from an individual standpoint, I don’t think the summer could have gone any better. It’s been a true blessing this summer."
