Former Iowa High School Baseball Prospect Receives Best Mound Visit

Carter Baumler told he has made MLB opening day roster during surprise visit to mound by manager.

Dowling Catholic's Carter Baumler (9) during their 4A state baseball quarterfinal game at Principal Park on Wednesday, July 31, 2019 in Des Moines. Dowling Catholic would go on to defeat Southeast Polk 7-0. 0731 4astateball 05 Jpg | Brian Powers/The Register via Imagn Content Services, LLC

A former Iowa high school baseball prospect was surprised when he saw his manager approaching the mound to pay him a visit Monday night.

But it turns out that the mound visit by Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumacher was one Carter Baumler would never forget.

Schumacher informed Baumler, a Dowling Catholic High School graduate, that he had made the opening day roster for the Rangers.

Skip Schumaker told Rule 5 pick Carter Baumler that he made the Rangers Opening Day roster during a mound visit 🥹 pic.twitter.com/19J10vk39Q

— MLB (@MLB) March 24, 2026

Texas Rangers Surprise Dowling Catholic Grad With Special Mound Visit

“I wasn’t expecting it,” Baumer said during an in-game interview after he was removed. “He got on the mound and told me I made the team. It was pretty cool.

“Honestly, I thought I was getting taken out of the game. I didn’t know what was going on. He just came up and told me I made the team and everybody say congratulations. What a special way. It caught me totally off guard and was totally cool.”

Baumler was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2020 MLB Amateur Draft in the fifth round. In four minor league seasons in the Orioles organization, he went 7-1 with a 3.05 earned run average over 49 games, making 10 starts. 

Former Iowa High School Pitcher Has Been Untouchable This Spring Training

This spring training, though, he has found his spot with the Rangers, going 1-0 in eight games with 10 strikeouts and no earned runs allowed over nine-plus innings. Baltimore lost Baumler in the rule 5 draft to the Pittsburgh Pirates, who dealt him to Texas for another pitcher and cash considerations.

“A few years ago, I never expected this,” Baumler said. “Looking back, I am glad I kept my head down and kept hammering. I went through a lot of hard times the last few years, so this is pretty cool, pretty special.”

Carter Baumler Had Two Big Seasons With Dowling Catholic

During his junior season at Dowling Catholic, Baumler went 5-1 with 45 strikeouts in 31-plus innings, allowing just eight earned runs and 19 walks. Opponents hit only .143 off him that season.

Baumler did not pitch for the Maroons during his senior season. As a sophomore, he was 5-3 on the mound with 61 strikeouts in 44 innings, holding opponents to a .215 batting average against.