BYU signee Henry of Pleasant Grove drafted by Brewers in sixth round


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PLEASANT GROVE — Arguably the biggest local baseball player was selected Friday in the middle stages of the MLB Draft.

Pleasant Grove catcher Payton Henry, the 2016 Deseret News Mr. Baseball and 2015 Gatorade Utah player of the year, was selected in Friday’s sixth round by the Milwaukee Brewers with the 171st overall pick.

Henry, who has signed with BYU, will now decide whether to begin his professional career in the Brewers organization or continue his education for at least three years in Provo.

The 6-foot-3 catcher and closer for the Vikings was a four-year varsity player who batted above .500 as a junior and senior and slugged 20 home runs. A 2015 Louisville Slugger All-American, Henry played a key role on the Vikings’ Class 5A state championship that season which finished nationally ranked by USA Today and other organizations.

In November, Henry signed with BYU and head coach Mike Littlewood, selecting the Cougars over recruiting interest from Arizona, Arizona State, San Diego, Utah, Utah Valley, UNLV and Dixie State, among others.

Henry was recruited as a potential pitcher, catcher and first baseman for the Cougars — but his real value comes at the plate, Littlewood said in November.

“Payton is one of the top power hitting catchers in the country and had the opportunity to play baseball at any university he wanted — we are ecstatic he chose BYU,” Littlewood said. “Payton will be a middle of the order type hitter for us for years to come, and an all-conference type player right away.

“We can’t wait to get Payton on campus and start coaching him next fall.”

Among the draft's biggest surprises Friday was the exclusion from the first 10 rounds of BYU junior pitcher Michael Rucker. The Gonzaga transfer and All-American was among the top pitchers in Division I in 2016 and considered a top draft prospect. Rucker was rated the No. 251 prospect in the draft.

The draft concludes Saturday 10 a.m. MT on MLB.com.

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