Iowa High School Baseball: State Tournament Players To Know

Thirty-two teams will begin the week with hopes of winning an Iowa High School Athletic Association State Baseball Championship.

But only four can.

The state baseball tournament kicks off in Carroll and Cedar Rapids on Monday, July 20, with some of the best talent from around Iowa taking part in the event.

High School On SI Iowa previously offered up the top players from each qualifying state softball team, so, now it is time for baseball.

Here is one player from each Iowa high school state baseball tournament team that could have a major impact on how the bracket unfolds.

Iowa High School Baseball State Tournament: Players To Know

Class 4A

Cal Jepsen, Sioux City East, Senior

The Western Kentucky commit owns a .508 batting average on the year, belting 15 doubles, seven triples and six home runs. He has 64 total hits, scoring 78 runs while driving in 44 and stealing 38 bases.

Evan Schmierer, Iowa City Liberty, Senior

The Lightning have the ultra-quick Schmierer, who has swiped 40 bases on the year. He is batting .496 with 65 hits, 45 runs scored, 30 RBI, 10 doubles and six triples.

Lincoln Dalton, Pleasant Valley, Senior

Dalton owns a 7-1 record over 10 starts, striking out 91 batters with a 0.66 earned run average on the mound, and is also a capable bat, recording 27 hits with 20 RBI, 15 runs scored, nine doubles, two homers and 22 base on balls.

Trevin Helming, Johnston, Junior

Helming is hitting .389 with 11 extra-base hits, driving in 28 runs and scoring 28 times. He leads the Dragons with 17 steals.

Alex Williams, Southeast Polk, Senior

The likely starter on the mound for the Rams, Williams enters state with six wins and 85 strikeouts on his resume in 54-plus innings pitched. He has an earned run average under two on the season.

George Blake, Indianola, Junior

A terror at the plate and on the mound, Blake is batting .423 with 54 runs, 41 RBI, 15 doubles, three triples, nine home runs and 25 steals. He is also the owner of nine pitching wins, striking out 63 batters in 49 innings with a 1.43 earned run average.

Ryan Stedman, West Des Moines Valley, Senior

The future Iowa Hawkeye has recorded 96 strikeouts and seven wins in 49-plus innings, sporting an earned run average of 0.71. At the plate, he is batting .344 with 27 runs, 42 RBI, 12 doubles, three triples and eight home runs.

Gavin de Jesus, Waukee, Senior

De Jesus is trouble for opposing pitchers, collecting 48 hits with 45 runs scored, 33 RBI, 13 doubles, a triple, six home runs and 24 steals.

Class 3A

Lincoln Norris, Knoxville, Junior

A standout basketball player, Norris sports a .495 batting average, scoring 49 runs while driving in 36. He has belted eight home runs with 12 doubles, three triples and 14 steals. As a pitcher, he has 48 strikeouts and an earned run average of 0.64 in 33 innings.

JP Elbert, Dubuque Wahlert Catholic, Junior

Elbert is as consistent and deadly as any hitter in the stacked Golden Eagle lineup, batting .392 with 41 runs scored, 41 RBI, eight doubles, three homers, a triple and 13 steals. He is also 2-0 with a save and 28 strikeouts in 17 innings on the mound.

Brady Rissman, Western Dubuque, Sophomore

Just a 10th-grader, Rissman has come on this year, hitting .446 with 57 RBI, 29 runs scored, 14 doubles and a home run. He has a 2.91 earned run average and six wins, as well.

Bryce Burke, North Polk, Senior

Burke has recorded 40 hits and scored 40 runs, driving in 33 with five doubles, four home runs and two triples. On the bases, he has swiped 15 bags.

Nolan Dittmer, Davenport Assumption, Senior

With a .500 batting average, Dittmer is sure to give opposing pitchers nightmares. He has scored 47 runs and driven in 42, hitting 14 doubles, eight home runs and a triple.

Owen Johnson, Carlisle, Senior

In just under 41 innings pitched, Johnson has picked up 60 strikeouts, earning six wins with an earned run average of 1.38. At the plate, he has six homers and 24 RBI with 20 runs scored.

Brooks McCarty, MOC-Floyd Valley, Senior

McCarty is batting .387 with 53 runs scored, 33 RBI, 12 doubles, three home runs, two triples and 23 steals. On the mound, he has seven wins and 74 strikeouts with an earned run average under three.

Zander Murray, Cedar Rapids Xavier, Senior

All Murray did in the postseason was throw a no-hitter, adding to his impressive pitching stats. The senior has struck out 42 batters in 33-plus innings, earning five wins with an earned run average at 2.73.

Class 2A

Blake Myrtue, Ridge View, Senior

A dangerous hitter, Myrtue has a .481 average with 35 runs scored, 26 RBI, five doubles and a pair of home runs. He has stolen 16 bases, as well.

JJ Phillips, Pleasantville, Junior

The loaded defending Class 2A state champions have so much talent. Phillips is one of those players, as the junior is batting .505 with 42 runs scored, 64 RBI, 12 doubles, 10 home runs and two triples.

Brady Gogel, Dyersville Beckman Catholic, Senior

With an average just a shade under .400, Gogel is the leader for the Trailblazers, scoring 36 runs with 33 RBI, six triples, three doubles, a home run and 19 stolen bases.

Jackson Green, Cascade, Junior

An ace in every way possible, Green is 8-0 with an earned run average under one, striking out 76 batters in just under 49 innings pitched. He has walked just 14, as well.

Colby Gast, Durant, Senior

Gast looks to go out with a bang, as he enters state hitting .521 with 46 runs scored, 35 RBI, 11 doubles, seven triples, six home runs and 44 stolen bases. He also has 62 strikeouts and a 1.07 earned run average in 59 innings pitched.

Colin Willis, Roland-Story, Sophomore

Willis is part of the 40-40 plus, scoring 44 runs and driving in 41. He is batting .413 with eight doubles and 35 steals.

Austin Hall, Unity Christian, Senior

Hall has 10 doubles on the year, hitting .438 with 35 RBI and 23 runs scored. He has also swiped seven bases.

Cooper Schoening, West Lyon, Senior

Along with striking out 56 batters in just under 40 innings, Schoening is hitting .508 with 30 RBI, 27 runs scored, four doubles, a triple and a home run.

Class 1A

Kale Moore, Moravia, Junior

Moore has struck out 89 batters and owns an earned run average of 0.89, hitting .465 with 43 runs scored, 28 RBI, 15 doubles, three triples, two home runs and 15 steals.

Ty Heydon, Coon Rapids-Bayard, Junior

One of the top players in the state, Heydon is batting .609 with 64 RBI, 48 run scored, 15 doubles, eight home runs, five triples and 26 steals. He also has 83 strikeouts in 46-plus innings pitched with an earned run average of just 1.35.

Liam Thompson, North Linn, Sophomore

Thompson could be the next Lynx star on the diamond, as the sophomore has 88 strikeouts and an earned run average of 0.73 with eight wins in 47-plus innings pitched. At the plate, he is hitting .398 with 10 doubles, four home runs, 35 RBI and 36 runs scored.

Dalton Klein, Remsen St. Mary’s, Sophomore

Another 10th-grader looks to lead the Hawks, as Klein has 10 wins and an earned run average of 0.77, striking out 93 batters in under 64 innings. With the bat, he is hitting .437 with 12 doubles, two home runs, 24 RBI and 24 runs scored.

Eli Oleson, Burlington Notre Dame, Senior

Oleson owns an impressive .565 batting average, scoring 40 runs with 33 RBI. He has 13 doubles, three triples and three home runs, stealing 28 bases.

Braiden Todd, South Winneshiek, Senior

Todd is hitting .420 with 40 runs scored, 23 RBI, 10 doubles, two home runs and 10 steals. He also has seven wins on the mound, striking out 81 in 46-plus innings with an earned run average just over two.

Tyler Davis, Ankeny Christian, Sophomore

What a sophomore season it has been for Davis, as he leads the Eagles with a .510 batting average, scoring 50 runs while driving in 44. He has 14 doubles, two triples and 32 steals, going 7-0 with three saves and 42 strikeouts over 15 appearances and five starts on the mound.

Teagan Eisenlohr, Mason City Newman Catholic, Senior

The big bat for the Knights in the lineup comes from Eisenlohr, as he has nine home runs and 12 doubles, hitting .461 with 46 RBI and 41 runs scored.

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