Every Sunday, Nazareth baseball coach Lee Milano emails out the Roadrunners’ schedule for the week to local pro scouts.
And behind the backstop at Nazareth’s field, there’s an area roped off with a sign designating it for college and MLB evaluators only.
Such is life when your roster features one of the best high-school players in the country.
That would be Jaden Fauske, a senior catcher/outfielder committed to LSU who was listed as the No. 18 prep prospect in the 2025 MLB Draft by MLB.com last fall.
On April 10, Fauske showed why he’s so highly regarded in the Roadrunners’ 2-1 win against visiting Hope Academy.
Down 2-0, the Eagles had the bases loaded with two out in the top of the seventh when Eric Delgado singled to center. One run scored, but Fauske threw a strike to Nazareth catcher Chuck Roche to cut down the potential tying run. Game over, and Nazareth remained perfect through 13 games.
What was going through Fauske’s mind on that play?
“Throw the guy out at home. I was getting tired of standing out there,” he said with a smile. “Was ready to go home, so came up firing.”
If Fauske is feeling any pressure to impress the steady stream of MLB scouts and executives coming out to evaluate him, he doesn’t show it.
“Just trying to stay within myself as much as I can,” he said. “Obviously there’s a lot going on with people coming, people recording every at-bat. So just trying to block out everything else.”
It’s easier to do when this has been the norm for the past few offseasons. With pro scouts watching, Fauske demonstrated over and over his ability to hit high-level pitching.
“This isn’t the first time (to get so much attention),” Fauske said. “I was used to it all summer … the last couple years. So I’m kind of built for it at this point, I feel like, and kind of learned to block it out.”
Mission accomplished, according to Milano.
“He’s so stoic in everything he does,” Milano said. “He handles it as good as anybody I’ve seen. There’s eyes on everything he does.
“We’re at a facility on Saturday morning hitting before a game, because it was kind of chilly out. And10 guys show up to watch him hit. Everything he does is under a microscope, and he handles it very well. He’s very mature for his age.”
Fauske will have a choice of moving on to college or pro baseball after the MLB Draft in July, and he’s in no hurry to make a decision. With the rise in NIL compensation for college athletes, he’ll have good financial options either way.
“Oh for sure, I think it’s a win-win,” he said. “Definitely takes some of the pressure off knowing that either route I go, I’ll be in a good spot.”
As good as he was last year, Fauske wanted to be better this season.
“I’ve worked really hard to get faster, prove that I can play center,” he said. “Improving steal times, home-to-first times, all that. … I feel like it’s showing for sure.”
Baseball isn’t the only sport Fauske excels at. He also started at defensive back on Nazareth’s Class 5A state championship football teams in 2022 and 2023, but didn’t play last fall when the Roadrunners won their third straight title.
“It was a last-second decision not to play football,” he said. “I love football. But I think staying healthy and having a full offseason (to prepare for baseball) paid off.”