High school baseball: Best of the best in 1A

Wayne senior Jordan Ellett isn't one to pound his chest after a big strikeout or talk trash to his opponents. He is one of the quietest players you'll find in 1A baseball.

But that's OK because Ellett lets his play speak for itself.

Ellett was valuable to the Badgers as a pitcher, catcher and infielder during a stellar four-year career at Wayne High. He helped lead the Badgers to their third consecutive state baseball championship last month, as he finished his career with his team on a 51-game winning streak.

For his efforts, Ellett is the 2008 Deseret News 1A baseball MVP.

Ellett enjoyed a brilliant career at Wayne. He was named a first-team all-state player as a freshman, sophomore and junior. He made it twice as an infielder and once as a pitcher. He was the winning pitcher in two of the Badgers' three wins in the state championship game.

The 2008 season was more of the same for Ellett. He threw 32 innings for Wayne, striking out 65 batters and allowing just nine hits during the span. He had a 1.41 earned run average. He was the winning pitcher and hit a home run in Wayne's 17-4 win over Panguitch in the 1A championship game.

"He was so consistent," said Wayne coach Scott Ellett, who's also Jordan's father. "He's not a kid who's real vocal, but he does have some quiet confidence. He's been a real strength of the program for a number of years."

Ellett's versatility was a key to the Badgers' success. In addition to pitching, he also played catcher, shortstop and third base. While he moved around in the field, one thing that never changed was his consistency at the plate. He slugged better than 1.000 in his junior and senior seasons. He hit 10 home runs during his senior season, and he had 20 overall in his high school career.

Ellett hit in the three spot for Wayne, and with the Badgers' loaded lineup, opposing pitchers couldn't avoid him. Ellett modestly said a few of his teammates could have produced as much as he did in Wayne's lineup.

"We have four or five other guys who could have done just as well," Ellett said. "We put in a lot of hard work. It's been a lot of fun and pretty fulfilling."

Ellett's experiences at Wayne have included more than just baseball. He's a state champion in the discus and javelin, and he was named to the Academic All-State baseball team last month. He's being noticed by college recruiters more for his abilities to throw the javelin than he is for baseball.