Trey Johnson hadn’t been at Chase Field long Friday afternoon when he was approached by a Major League Baseball scout.
The Hauser senior was in Phoenix for the Power Showcase, a collection of individuals who were invited to the three-day event because of their potential as power hitters.
"Before I even took my (batting practice) session on Friday, the Chicago White Sox scout was there," Johnson said. "He said, ‘I’ve seen some videos on you.’ He said, ‘You can’t forget an ugly face like that, and we both laughed it off.’"
The 6-foot-6, 215-pound pitcher-first baseman hit four home runs during that batting practice session on Friday. Then in Saturday’s Home Run Derby, he hit five homers to finish seventh out of about 50 high school sluggers.
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In the Home Run Derby, each player was allowed 20 "outs," five with a wooden bat and 15 with a metal bat. "Outs" were anything other than a home run. Players hit off pitching machine, which threw fastballs at 60 MPH from 54 feet
Johnson’s longest home run was a 436-foot into the concession area behind Chase Field’s iconic pool in right-center field.
"I wasn’t surprised by any means," Johnson said. "I was confident going into the weekend. Going to a big league ballpark to play for a first time can be overwhelming, and I just tried to calm myself down and rely on my talent. That was my goal — to just relax and do what I do."
Johnson fell just a couple homers shy of making the top three, which came back for the championship round on Sunday. Gage Boehm from Texas won the title with 13 home runs in the championship round.
The players took part in a 10-inning All-Star Game on Sunday, and Johnson suited up for the National League team. He went 0 for 2 at the plate, while playing one inning in left field and two in right field.
"It was unlike anything I’ve ever done in terms of baseball," Johnson said. "Ever since I was young, I wanted to be on a major league field playing baseball. I wouldn’t be there if it weren’t for my friends and family and coaches pushing me, so I really want to thank them. It was a true blessing."
Johnson returned home on Monday, and on that same day, he participated in a signing ceremony with his letter-of-intent to Purdue-Northwest.
Division I schools Eastern Illinois, Central Michigan and Cincinnati had offered Johnson partial scholarships. But when Purdue-Northwest, a Division II school in Hammond, came through with roughly twice the offering as the other schools, Johnson jumped at the opportunity.
"I was holding out for a long time, but when I got my offer from Purdue-Northwest, it was a pretty good offer," Johnson said. "I knew that was the place for me, especially after I took a visit."
As a junior, Johnson 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.
Johnson currently is playing basketball for the Jets. He realizes that with his performance in the Power Showcase and a big senior baseball season, he could end up hearing his name called in June’s draft.
"It’s always been a dream of mine since I was younger to play professional baseball," Johnson said. "But right now, I’m focused on going to college and getting an education and playing for Purdue-Northwest."
