"Initially he was planning on signing, and he called me and said, 'Fred, I'm planning on going on a mission,'" Repke recalled. "I said, 'I'm not going to try and talk you out of it if that's something you need to do.' My luck is not that good to go against the man upstairs."

Scholzen wasn't home at the time when Repke called with the Devil Rays' offer. His father told him the news.

"I was so excited," he said. "I get to do both. It's kind of a dream come true for me."

Scholzen will report to the Mission Training Center in Provo on June 8 to begin preparations for his two-years stint in the California San Francisco Mission (Spanish-speaking).

In 1994, McKay Christensen was a first-round draft pick of the California Angels and they allowed him to serve. While on his mission to Japan, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox. Upon his return he played for the White Sox before being traded again to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He also briefly played for the New York Mets.

Harrison doesn't consider signing Scholzen a risk. Essentially, he will be the equivalent of a college junior when he returns home, except his skills will be a little rusty. His upside was too good to let go. He's a solid athlete, has natural baseball skills, comes from a good family, and will benefit physically and mentally during his time away.

The terms of the deal were undisclosed.

"He's a prospect. If we have a chance to sign him now for a reasonable deal that worked for both sides, we've got him when he comes back," Harrison said.

"They (the Devil Rays) have been unbelievable to me," Scholzen said. "I don't think any other team would have done this."

Harrison sees many LDS athletes with the same desire as Scholzen's to serve and play, but each situation is different, and Scholzen's was perfect to negotiate the deal.

Scholzen plans on taking two gloves and several baseballs with him so he can play catch with his companion on preparation day.

"This is only the second time this has happened in baseball," Scholzen said. "I guess you can say I was lucky or blessed."

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E-mail: jhinton@desnews.com