ST. GEORGE — After a scorching season for Utah Tech, Trailblazers sophomore catcher Kaden Hollow signed a free agent contract with the San Diego Padres.
According to a press release, Hollow came to St. George via Rocky Mountain High School in Boise, Idaho.
He was a two-time all-Western Athletic Conference selection during his career with the Trailblazers.
Hollow started in all 53 Utah Tech games last season, including 43 starts behind the plate. He was second on the team in batting (.327), extra-base hits (21), doubles (11), home runs (nine), RBI (39) and an impressive .525 slugging percentage.
He hit safely in 37 contests with 20 multi-hit games. He drove in at least one run in 19 outings.
The big numbers led to semifinalist status for the 2022 Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year award.
Hollow garnered second team all-WAC honors after batting .350, hitting six doubles, smacking six home runs and driving in a team-high 30 RBI in conference play. He made the first team all-WAC squad in 2021.
He played well behind the dish as well, throwing out a conference-best 9-of-21 would-be base stealers.
The backstop posted a notable .992 fielding percentage, committing only three errors out of 378 total chances.
Hollow is the fourth Trailblazer who signed with a Major League Baseball organization and currently is playing.
The others include former pitchers Dylan File (Milwaukee Brewers, AAA) and Jayden Murray (Tampa Bay Rays, AA).
Former catcher/first baseman Logan Porter plays for the AA affiliate in the Kansas City Royals organization.
Former Thunder ace now a Yankee
A local pitching product will get a chance at Major League dreams after ex-Desert Hills ace Drew Thorpe was drafted by the New York Yankees.
According to various internet sources, Thorpe was selected 61st overall in the MLB Draft on Sunday night after completing his sophomore season at California Polytechnic State University.
Thorpe was a standout at Desert Hills, leading the Thunder to the state title in 2019.
He was 16-2 in his final two prep seasons while hurling a minuscule 0.52 ERA during his senior year.
At Cal Poly last year, Thorpe earned first team All-American honors, piling up a 10-1 record.
His 149 strikeouts led the nation in the regular season and he posted a 2.32 ERA.
Thorpe is described on a Yankees website as a 6-foot-4 right-hander that relies heavily on a four-seam fastball that he can throw up to 93 mph. He also features a good change-up and is developing a devastating slider with good sinking action.
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