One key player for each state-qualifying baseball team

State baseball begins Monday in Carroll, Sioux City for Iowa

Underwood's Garrett Luett is one of the top players in 2A in Iowa high school baseball. / Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK

We have reached the final stretch of athletic events in Iowa high school sports, as the state baseball tournament begins Monday.

Two locations will host the action, as Class 1A and 2A compete in Carroll while 3A and 4A are hosted by Sioux City. The Iowa high school softball tournament will also be going on at the same time.

Champions will be crowned by the end of the week, putting a cap on an incredible year.

As teams look to battle it out, here is one key player from each qualifying squad for the Iowa high school state baseball tournament by class:

KEY PLAYER FOR EACH STATE-QUALIFYING BASEBALL TEAM

Class 4A

Drake Obermueller, Iowa City High

The Little Hawks have several aces, and Obermueller is one of them. The senior is 6-0 with 40 strikeouts in 35 innings, as he owns a 1.60 earned run average with opponents hitting just .127 off him. At the plate, he is batting .415 with 24 RBI and 51 hits.

Carter Johnson, Waukee

Leading the way for the Warriors will be Johnson and his .391 batting average. He also has four homers, 31 runs scored and 29 RBI with 15 steals.

Mitch Naig, Johnston

With a 6-2 record and 57 strikeouts, Naig is the ace for the Dragons, who will try to win another title to send head coach Michael Barta out as a champion.

Kamren Francois, Cedar Rapids Prairie

One of several .400 hitters on the team, the senior shortstop is batting .455 with 52 runs scored and 55 hits, adding in 28 steals.

Drew Fitzpatrick, Waukee Northwest

The senior is 6-0 with two saves and 57 strikeouts in just 36 innings pitched. At the plate, he is batting .377 with 14 doubles, two homers, 36 RBI and 32 runs along with 21 walks.

Dallas Miller, Iowa City Liberty

Just an all-around athlete, Miller is batting .357 with 26 RBI, seven extra-base hits and 32 runs scored, adding in 22 steals.

Cal Jepsen, Sioux City East

The hometown team has an elite talent in Jepsen, as the standout quarterback is hitting .434 with seven homers, 66 runs scored and 47 RBI. He is also 4-0 with four saves and 39 strikeouts, sporting a 0.33 earned run average.

Wrigley Matthys, Bettendorf

The senior has one of the top batting averages in the state at .511, scoring 63 runs while driving in 39. He also has three homers, eight doubles and nine triples while stealing 53 bases. 

Class 3A

Will Pierro, Dubuque Wahlert

The reigning state football champs, Wahlert features several impressive arms including Pierro. The senior is 8-1 with 88 strikeouts in just under 67 innings. 

Dylan England, Boone

Boone goes as England does, with the senior shortstop scoring 45 times and driving in 32 more runs. He has a .438 average, hitting 12 doubles, three homers and a triple while stealing 17 bases.

Ben Yeggy, Davenport Assumption

The outfielder is hitting a team-best .438, driving in 21 while scoring 39 times. He has 10 doubles and one triple with 18 walks and 19 steals.

Kamden Jorgensen, Saydel

The state leader in home runs, Jorgensen has hit 14, driving in 45 while scoring 40 times. He has been walked 22 times and hit seven more.

Hayes Lautenbach, Pella

Only a sophomore, Lautenbach has been great, going 2-2 with two saves and a team-high 55 strikeouts. He has a 1.86 earned run average while hitting four homers and four doubles with 25 runs scored and 21 RBI.

Alex Wilson, Sergeant Bluff-Luton

Part of a 1-2 punch, Wilson is 10-1 with 48 strikeouts and a 2.56 earned run average. Opponents are hitting only .180 off him this year.

Kaleb LaFavor, Bishop Heelan

The Crusaders are led by LaFavor, a junior who is hitting .390 with four homers, eight doubles and two triples. He has driven in 34 runs and scored 22 times while going 4-0 on the mound with 61 strikeouts and a 0.50 earned run average.

Owen Johnson, Carlisle

Johnson, a junior, is batting .343 with three homers, 11 doubles and two triples, driving in 43 while scoring 25 times. He is 4-1 with two saves and 57 strieouts on the mound.

Class 2A

Garrett Luett, Underwood

You can’t talk about the Eagles and not mention Luett, as he is hitting a state-best .619 with six homers, 12 doubles, three triples, 25 RBI and 45 runs scored. Luett has been walked 34 times and is 10-0 with a save and 122 strikeouts in 62-plus innings.

Cooper Hummel, Cascade

With a team-leading three homers, Hummel can change a game, as he has driven in 24 while hitting .348 on the season. 

Dylan Bosma, Unity Christian

One of the top athletes in the state, Bosma is batting .355 with nine doubles, 45 runs scored and 34 RBI. He has 22 steals and is 7-1 with 40 strikeouts on the hill.

Kyler Crow, Mediapolis

Crow has a .410 average, recording 13 extra-base hits with 30 RBI and 29 runs scored. He has swiped 21 bases and is 5-1 with 43 strikeouts on the mound.

Cole Moore, Van Meter

Moore owns a .456 average with four homers and 15 doubles, driving in 27 and scoring 40 times. He also has 29 steals while going 4-3 with 86 strikeouts in 45-plus innings.

Keegan Evans, Chariton

The Chargers will look to Evans, a freshman, to get them going. He is batting .447 with 38 runs scored and 21 RBI, recording 10 extra-base hits and 10 steals. Evans is 2-0 with a save and 45 strikeouts.

Braylon Bingham, Pleasantville

The super-talented sophomore is batting .485 with seven homers, eight doubles and three triples. He has scored 56 runs and driven in 49 while stealing 23 bases. On the mound, he is 7-0 with 63 strikeouts and a 0.50 earned run average.

Tate Hawf, West Lyon

Not just a football school, these Wildcats can play baseball. Hawf is hitting .441 with 39 runs and 24 steals.

Class 1A

Collin Homan, Remsen St. Mary’s

Homan was part of the football championship team and looks to duplicate it on the diamond. He is hitting .514 with eight homers and nine doubles, driving in 45 and scoring 29 runs. On the hill, Homan is 8-1 with 77 strikeouts and a 1.17 earned run average.

Rowan Miller, Hillcrest Academy

The Ravens are a small but mighty bunch, as Miller is hitting .321 with 25 RBI, 20 runs scored, 20 steals and seven extra-base hits. 

Trey Wight, Martensdale-St. Marys

The senior has a .548 average to go along with 48 runs scored, 37 RBI and a state-record 34 doubles. 

Dalton Mudderman, Lansing Kee

Mudderman owns a 5-1 record with three saves, racking up 77 strikeouts. He also has 19 steals, 19 RBI and 34 runs scored. 

Carson Maston, Lynnville-Sully

The defending champs have several key players, including Maston, who is 9-0 with 111 strikeouts in 56 innings pitched. At the plate, he is batting .423 with two homers, 10 doubles and 23 RBI.

Will Hansen, East Buchanan

A dominating arm, Hansen has 82 strikeouts in 42 innings, going 5-1 with a 1.17 earned run average. He is also hitting .359 with 30 runs scored and 29 steals.

Jayce Schwiesow, Saint Ansgar

The quarterback this past fall, Schwiesow has used his arm in the summer, going 6-1 with 90 strikeouts. At the plate, he is batting .453 with 24 RBI and 24 runs scored, striking out just twice in 28 games.

Cale Cunard, Logan-Magnolia

Cunard, who just completed his ninth-grader year, is hitting .360 with two homers, eight doubles and 31 RBI. 

More Iowa High School Sports Headlines

feed