Tag: Iowa baseball

Perfect Game tabs Brody Brecht as preseason Big Ten Pitcher of the Year

In their preview of the Big Ten conference, Perfect Game listed Iowa Hawkeye Brody Brecht as their Big Ten Pitcher of the Year.

Iowa pitcher Brody Brecht just may be the ace of the Big Ten. The junior pitcher was recently named to the preseason All-Conference Team for the Big Ten by scouting organization Perfect Game.

The 6-foot-4, 225 pound junior right-hander was also selected as Perfect Game’s preseason Big Ten Pitcher of the Year.

This placement marks a projected step up for the Ankeny, Iowa, native after a successful sophomore campaign that saw him garner first-team All-Big Ten recognition.

Brecht posted a 3.74 ERA in 17 appearances as a sophomore. He allowed just 38 hits and 28 runs over 77 innings. He allowed just nine extra-base hits and a .174 batting average against. Brecht led the nation with 4.32 hits allowed per nine innings and tallied 109 strikeouts, the second most in program history.

For the Pitcher of the Year award, Michigan’s Connor O’Halloran was named the recipient last year. Now that O’Halloran is off to the big leagues, Brecht is projected as the top pitcher in the conference.

On a national scale, Brecht was named a third-team All-American by the NCBWA and Perfect Game last season, a year after earning freshman All-American honors by both Collegiate Baseball and Perfect Gamein 2022.

Perfect Game expects big things out of Brecht, including him in their preseason first-team All-Americans earlier this month. In that report, the publication noted the incredible pro potential Brecht possesses.

Very few players in the country can match the pure stuff that Brecht possesses and it’s why Brecht will be one of the first college arms off the board in July’s draft. He can run the fastball up to triple digits and his slider might be the best pitch in the country. Brecht is an excellent athlete too, he played two years on the football team as a wide receiver, and made notable improvements to his command throughout the year, leaving the possibility for a huge breakout in 2024 possible. – Vincent Cervino, Craig Cozart, Perfect Game.

Iowa will begin its season at the Swig & Swine College Classic in Charleston, S.C., from Feb. 15-17. The team will face Seton Hall in its season opener.

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Iowa Hawkeyes crack preseason D1Baseball Top 25 Rankings

Rick Heller should have himself another talented squad. Iowa finds itself inside the preseason D1Baseball Top 25 Rankings.

The Iowa Hawkeyes enter the 2024 college baseball season after a terrific 2023 campaign.

Iowa compiled a 44-16 overall record and a 15-8 mark in Big Ten play, which was good for a third-place finish in the final regular season standings. The Hawkeyes advanced to the Big Ten Tournament championship before falling to Maryland, 4-0, in the title tilt.

That helped earn Iowa its sixth NCAA Tournament appearance in school history and the third under head coach Rick Heller. The Hawkeyes were the No. 2 seed in the Terre Haute Regional.

Iowa won a pair of games against third-seeded North Carolina to advance to the regional championship before host Indiana State ended the Hawkeyes’ season.

Still, Iowa carries that momentum into what it hopes is another memorable 2024 season.

The national pundits have taken notice of the Hawkeyes, too.

Iowa is ranked No. 20 in the preseason D1Baseball Top 25 Rankings. The Hawkeyes are the lone Big Ten team that found its way inside D1Baseball’s preseason top 25.

The Hawkeyes return a pair of key starting right-handers in junior Marcus Morgan and junior Brody Brecht.

Morgan, a 6-foot-3, 205 pound righty, posted a 5-2 record with a 3.72 ERA last season. The Iowa City native tallied 72 strikeouts against 51 walks in 65 1/3 innings pitched.

Meanwhile, Brecht, a 6-foot-4, 225 pound righty, posted a 5-2 record with a 3.74 ERA in 2023. He struck out 109 batters, while surrendering 61 walks in 77 innings of work.

The Hawkeyes return five of eight position players. That group features senior catcher Cade Moss, senior shortstop Michael Seegers, redshirt junior third baseman Raider Tello, junior outfielder Sam Petersen and redshirt senior outfielder Kyle Huckstorf.

Of that group, Seegers led the way with a .322 batting average with 31 RBIs and 36 walks drawn.

Here’s a look at the full preseason D1Baseball Top 25 Rankings:

Rank Team 2023 Record Final 2023 Rank
1 Wake Forest 54-12 3
2 Florida 54-17 2
3 Arkansas 43-18 16
4 LSU 54-17 1
5 TCU 44-24 5
6 Vanderbilt 42-20 19
7 Oregon State 41-20 23
8 Texas A&M 38-27 NR
9 Tennessee 44-22 7
10 Clemson 44-19 18
11 East Carolina 47-19 24
12 Duke 39-24 15
13 NC State 36-21 NR
14 Virginia 50-15 6
15 North Carolina 36-24 NR
16 Texas 42-22 14
17 UC Santa Barbara 35-20 NR
18 Coastal Carolina 42-21 21
19 Alabama 43-21 10
20 Iowa 44-16 NR
21 Texas Tech 41-23 NR
22 UCLA 28-24-1 NR
23 Northeastern 44-16 NR
24 Kansas State 35-24 NR
25 South Carolina 42-21 13

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Former Hawkeyes Aaron Blom, Gehrig Christensen plead guilty to underage gambling

Former Iowa kicker Aaron Blom and former Iowa baseball player Gehrig Christensen entered guilty pleas to underage gambling.

Former Iowa Hawkeyes Aaron Blom and Gehrig Christensen entered guilty pleas to underage gambling, a simple misdemeanor, per Ryan Hansen of the Iowa City Press-Citizen.

Both were initially charged with tampering with records, an aggravated misdemeanor that would have been punishable by a maximum sentence of up up to two years prison time and would have carried a fine of at least $855 to a maximum fine of $8,540.

With the guilty pleas to underage gambling, the tampering charges were dismissed and Blom and Christensen will instead pay a fine of $645. According to the terms of their guilty pleas, there will be no additional criminal punishments for either.

Blom was accused of making 170 mobile wagers totaling more than $4,400 from Jan. 28, 2021, to Feb. 22, 2022. The court documents allege that Blom wagered on an estimated eight University of Iowa sporting events, including the 2021 Iowa vs. Iowa State football game.

Meanwhile, Christensen was accused of using a DraftKings account to place a total of 559 underage wagers totaling more than $2,400, including approximately 23 bets on University of Iowa sporting events.

Blom began last season as Iowa’s top kicker, but he was replaced in favor of Drew Stevens following the Iowa State game. Christensen started six games for the Hawkeye baseball team and made 11 overall appearances last season. He batted .214 with a pair of RBIs.

John Steppe of The Gazette shared that a team spokesman confirmed today that Blom and walk-on receiver Jack Johnson are no longer on the Hawkeyes’ roster.

A trio of Iowa State players, quarterback Hunter Dekkers and linemen Dodge Sauser and Jacob Remsburg, also plead guilty to underage gambling. With the guilty pleas to underage gambling, their tampering with records charges have also been dismissed and they will each pay a $645 fine.

Now, each can focus on what happens next with their respective NCAA eligibilities.

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Iowa baseball elevates Mitch Boe to assistant coach

Rick Heller announced the elevation of Mitch Boe from volunteer assistant to one of the Hawkeyes’ full-time assistant coaches for 2024.

After serving as the Iowa Hawkeyes’ volunteer assistant coach for the 2023 season, Mitch Boe is moving on up in the coaching ranks.

Iowa head baseball coach Rick Heller announced the elevation of Boe from volunteer assistant to one of the Hawkeyes’ full-time assistant coaches for the 2024 season.

In 2023, Boe served as the team’s outfield coach and hitting assistant. He also set defensive alignment and coached first base for the Hawkeyes.

Of course, the Iowa Hawkeyes enjoyed a historic season, tying the all-time single-season wins record with a 44-16 campaign. Iowa finished third in the Big Ten with its 15-8 league mark and the Hawkeyes and advanced to the Big Ten Tournament championship game.

The Hawkeyes made their sixth all-time NCAA Tournament appearance and their first since 2017. Iowa won a pair of games before falling in the Terre Haute Regional final to host Indiana State.

A native of Naperville, Ill., Boe was actually a part of Iowa’s previous NCAA Tournament squad in 2017 as an infielder for the Hawkeyes. That 2017 team won the Big Ten Tournament championship.

Boe played for Iowa from 2016-19 where he tallied 144 hits, 28 doubles, 72 RBIs and 21 stolen bases for the Hawkeyes in 193 career games. His 193 career games are tied for the ninth-most all-time in school history.

Before returning to Iowa City as a volunteer assistant last season, Boe spent two seasons as an assistant coach for Valparaiso, where he was the team’s infield and baserunning instructor while also coaching third base for the Beacons.

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Iowa baseball to take part in inaugural Jax College Baseball Classic

See you in the Sunshine State! Iowa baseball is headed to Florida next February to take part in the inaugural Jax College Baseball Classic.

The Iowa Hawkeyes accepted an invite into an event that just might turn into one of college baseball’s prestigious early-season showcases.

After a terrific 44-16 (15-8 Big Ten) campaign in 2022, Iowa is one of four squads headed to Jacksonville, Fla., for the inaugural Jax College Baseball Classic on Feb. 23-25. Iowa joins Auburn, Virginia and Wichita State in the classic’s initial four-team field.

Every game will be played at 121 Financial Ballpark. It’s the home of the Miami Marlins’ Triple A affiliate, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. The round robin event will help Iowa beef up its nonconference schedule with one game against each of the three teams. Both Auburn and Virginia were NCAA Tournament hosts last season.

Iowa opens up play on Friday, Feb. 23, at 5 p.m. CT against Auburn. The Tigers hosted the Auburn Regional last spring and finished with a 34-23-1 (17-13 SEC) record. The Hawkeyes and Tigers have never met in their programs’ histories.

Then, on Saturday, Feb. 24, at 3 p.m. CT, Iowa will play Virginia. The Cavaliers hosted and advanced out of the Charlottesville Regional. Virginia then dispatched of Duke in the Super Regionals to earn the program’s sixth all-time College World Series berth. UVA lost both of its CWS contests by one run against Florida and TCU to finish 50-15 (19-11 ACC). Iowa and Virginia have also never met in their respective histories.

Finally, Iowa rounds out its stay in the Jax College Baseball Classic with a Sunday, Feb. 25, date at 11 a.m. CT against Wichita State. The Shockers ended last season 30-25 (13-10 American Athletic Conference).

WSU owns a perfect 13-0 all-time mark over Iowa. The two programs last met in 2022 when the Shockers twice rallied from 4-0 deficits, winning 8-7 on Feb. 27, 2022, and 6-4 on March 4, 2022.

Iowa is the visiting team against Auburn and will be the home team versus both Virginia and Wichita State. Streaming and broadcast information will be announced at a later date, though ticket information can be found at the official event website: www.jaxcbc.com.

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Trio of former, current Iowa Hawkeyes charged with tampering with records

As the sports gambling investigation continues, a trio of former and current Hawkeyes have been charged with tampering with records.

A trio of former and current Iowa Hawkeyes have been handed criminal charges of tampering with records in relation to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s probe into sports gambling.

That trio includes Iowa football’s backup kicker, Aaron Blom, former Iowa baseball player Gehrig Christensen and former Iowa men’s basketball player Ahron Ulis.

Per Brandon Hurley’s report for Hawk Central, Blom was charged with hiding his identity by using his mother’s name to set up an account with DraftKings. Hurley reports that Blom admitted to DCI agents that he placed underage online wagers using his mother’s account. Court documents confirm his mom knowingly consented to Blom’s use of her name and information.

According to the criminal complaint, Blom is accused of making 170 mobile wagers totaling more than $4,400 from Jan. 28, 2021, to Feb. 22, 2022. The court documents allege that Blom wagered on an estimated eight University of Iowa sporting events, including the 2021 Iowa vs. Iowa State football game.

Per Hurley’s report, former Iowa baseball player Gehrig Christensen is accused of using a DraftKings account to place a total of 559 underage wagers totaling more than $2,400, including approximately 23 bets on University of Iowa sporting events.

Lastly, former Iowa basketball guard Ahron Ulis is accused of using a FanDuel account registered in his older brother’s name, Anton Porter, to place bets. According to Tyler Tachman’s report for Hawk Central, Ulis allegedly made approximately 1,850 mobile/online sports wagers totaling $34,800. According to court documents, at least one wager was allegedly placed on a University of Iowa sporting event and 430 wagers were placed on NCAA sanctioned basketball and football games.

Tampering with records is an aggravated misdemeanor under the Iowa Legislature. If convicted, an aggravated misdemeanor is punishable by a maximum sentence of up to two years prison time and carries a fine of at least $855 to a maximum fine of $8,540.

Beyond the potential legal ramifications, the NCAA’s amended reinstatement guidelines for all sports wagering-related violations means that the trio would  potentially face permanent loss of collegiate eligibility.

In its updated guidelines for all sports wagering-related violations on or after May 2, here’s the applicable language from the Division I Legislative Committee:

Student-athletes who engage in activities to influence the outcomes of their own games or knowingly provide information to individuals involved in sports betting activities will potentially face permanent loss of collegiate eligibility in all sports. This would also apply to student-athletes who wager on their own games or on other sports at their own schools. – Division I Legislative Committee.

Blom began last season as Iowa’s top kicker, but he was replaced in favor of Drew Stevens following the Iowa State game. Christensen started six games for the Hawkeye baseball team and made 11 overall appearances. He batted .214 with a pair of RBIs. Lastly, Ulis averaged 6.1 points, 2.1 assists and 1.6 rebounds per game last season for the Hawkeyes’ men’s basketball team before transferring to Nebraska.

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Coming home! Iowa baseball adds TCU transfer RHP Justin Hackett

Another homegrown Hawkeye is coming home! Right-hander Justin Hackett announced he was transferring from TCU to Iowa baseball.

The Iowa Hawkeyes‘ baseball program is welcoming a familiar face back home.

Like a trio of transfers before him, Justin Hackett is another Hawkeye State product that is making the move back to Iowa this offseason. The 6-foot-3, 215 pound right-hander is originally from Winterset High School in Iowa.

In his lone season at TCU, Hackett made six appearances. He compiled a 11.37 ERA in just 6 1/3 innings of work. Hackett surrendered 12 hits and eight earned runs in limited action.

Iowa fans will like these numbers, though: Hackett struck out nine and walked just one. Hawkeye pitching coach Sean McGrath will no doubt welcome that strikeout potential with open arms.

Hackett discussed his decision-making process and his ultimate choice to return home with Kyle Huesmann of Hawkeye Report.

“I was blessed to have a handful of offers upon entering the portal from all over the country. I really wanted to get back closer to home with my one transfer opportunity. This allowed me to narrow down my top choices to Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska.

“I knew Iowa was the place for me the minute I stepped on campus. I was able to make the quick trip over and talk with the staff face-to-face and we really hit it off,” Hackett said.

Though his pitching appearances were brief, Hackett brings plenty of freshman lessons with him and the experience of advancing to Omaha with TCU.

“My freshman year at TCU was an incredible learning experience. Being a part of a team that made it to Omaha was special, as well as learning what it takes from a physical and mental standpoint to achieve excellence in the college baseball scene. I had the opportunity to throw in a few incredible environments, as well as familiarize myself with the learning curve of throwing to college hitters,” Hackett said.

Hackett is now the fifth transfer portal addition for Iowa since the Hawkeyes’ historic 2023 season ended. Iowa also brought in Oklahoma State transfer Brant Hogue, Dallas Baptist transfer Reece Beuter, Creighton transfer Anthony Watts and Utah transfer Davis Cop.

Hogue made just three appearances last season with Oklahoma State before a partial UCL tear ended his season with the Cowboys.

Before that, Hogue tossed 59 1/3 innings with the Iowa Western Reivers, surrendering just 11 earned runs to post a 1.67 ERA across 13 starts and 14 overall appearances. Hogue ended the 2022 season with a perfect 6-0 record and he racked up 93 strikeouts against just 16 walks. His strikeouts per nine innings while at Iowa Western was 14.11. Hogue had one complete game performance as well.

Beuter made 15 appearances with the Patriots, compiling a 4.86 ERA across 16 2/3 innings of work. The 6-foot-1, 196 pound redshirt junior struck out 15 and walked six.

Watts made eight starts across 14 overall appearances in his lone season at Creighton. He compiled a 2-3 record with a 5.15 ERA with 26 strikeouts against 25 walks.

Lastly, the Hawkeyes added Cop who hit .300 with 11 doubles, 10 homers and 51 RBIs. Cop scored 35 runs. During his sophomore season in 2022, Cop earned Pac-12 All-Conference honorable mention status after registering a team-best .367 batting average in Pac-12 Conference play.

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Where did Iowa Hawkeyes wind up after the 2023 MLB Draft, free agent signings?

The MLB Draft saw a handful of Iowa Hawkeyes find new MLB homes. Updates on where the Hawkeyes are headed in the MLB.

Mixed in amongst the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game, the 2023 MLB Draft came and went in a flurry. In an effort to make it more accessible to fans, the MLB appears to have gotten it right this time. MLB turned the draft into more of an event for fans to tune into.

Involved in that draft were a handful of former Iowa Hawkeyes baseball players that will be finding new homes to continue their baseball careers. The Hawkeyes saw Jared Simpson, Ty Langenberg, Will Christophersen, and Keaton Anthony all find homes with major league teams that they will now call home.

After a 2023 season that saw the Hawkeyes put together a historic 44-16 record, these four were instrumental in their successes. Take a look at where these four Hawkeyes ended up as the MLB Draft has concluded with a glance at their 2023 stats that helped them earn a shot at the next level.

Iowa baseball announces signing of Utah transfer Davis Cop

Iowa baseball added Utah transfer Davis Cop. The 6-foot, 200 pound Valencia, Calif., native caught 44 games last season.

Iowa baseball has added another new Hawk. The Hawkeyes welcomed in Utah transfer catcher and infielder Davis Cop.

A 6-foot, 200 pound product of Valencia, Calif., Cop caught 44 games last season with the Utes and also spent eight games at first base. Cop hit .300 with 11 doubles, 10 home runs, and 51 RBIs. He scored 35 runs last season.

One thing Hawkeye fans will like seeing is Cop’s numbers in Pac-12 play. He actually had a better batting average in league play, hitting .333 during Pac-12 play. Cop tallied 11 multi-RBI games in 2023.

Several of Cop’s other highlights this past season included a career-high five hits in a win over Utah Tech. He also had back-to-back three-hit nights in a series against Arizona State and registered his first career grand slam versus the Sun Devils. Lastly, Cop drove in seven runs against BYU on April 18.

As a sophomore with the Utes, Cop earned Pac-12 All-Conference honorable mention. He hit a team-best .367 with seven doubles, three homers and 26 RBIs. Cop also put together 14 multi-hit games and an eight-game hitting streak in 2022. He played in 40 games and started 35 that season with the Utes.

Cop gives Iowa some flexibility behind the plate and at first base. The Hawkeyes return catcher Cade Moss who made 46 starts and hit .261 with 22 RBIs and eight doubles.

At first base, Iowa is replacing graduate transfer Brennen Dorighi. Blake Guerin will be an option at first base after appearing in 21 games and registering a .290 batting average, seven RBIs, five doubles, five runs scored and one home run.

It’s the fourth transfer portal addition for the Hawkeyes since the 2023 season ended. Iowa has also brought in Oklahoma State transfer Brant Hogue, Dallas Baptist transfer Reece Beuter and Creighton transfer Anthony Watts.

Hogue and Dallas Baptist right-handed transfer pitcher Reece Beuter. Hogue made just three appearances last season with Oklahoma State before a partial UCL tear ended his season with the Cowboys.

Before that, Hogue tossed 59 1/3 innings with the Iowa Western Reivers, surrendering just 11 earned runs to post a 1.67 ERA across 13 starts and 14 overall appearances. Hogue ended the 2022 season with a perfect 6-0 record and he racked up 93 strikeouts against just 16 walks. His strikeouts per nine innings while at Iowa Western was 14.11. Hogue had one complete game performance as well.

Beuter made 15 appearances with the Patriots, compiling a 4.86 ERA across 16 2/3 innings of work. The 6-foot-1, 196 pound redshirt junior struck out 15 and walked six.

Watts made eight starts across 14 overall appearances in his lone season at Creighton. He compiled a 2-3 record with a 5.15 ERA with 26 strikeouts against 25 walks.

Iowa just tied its single-season wins record with a 44-16 campaign in 2023 that included the program’s sixth all-time NCAA Tournament appearance.

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Eastern Illinois OF Lincoln Riley visiting Iowa baseball

Iowa baseball continues its work to reshape and bolster its roster. Eastern Illinois outfielder Lincoln Riley is visiting the Hawkeyes.

After several recent NCAA transfer portal pickups, Iowa baseball has another visitor in town today.

Eastern Illinois outfielder Lincoln Riley is visiting the Iowa Hawkeyes. Riley appeared and started in all 59 games with the Panthers. A 5-foot-10, 185 pound graduate transfer, Riley hit .307 last season, tallied 71 hits, and registered 38 RBI.

Riley finished the 2023 season with 11 doubles, two triples and four homers. He also stole 18-of-20 bases in 2023 and racked up 27 walks and 23 hit by pitches. His contributions helped Eastern Illinois to a 38-21 overall record and into an NCAA Regional appearance in the Nashville Regional with host Vanderbilt.

During his junior season with Eastern Illinois, Riley appeared in 44 games, recorded a .279 batting average with nine doubles, two home runs, 21 RBI and 41 runs scored.

A product of Cedar Rapids Washington High School, Riley would potentially be making a return to the Hawkeye State. Before his two seasons with Eastern Illinois, Riley played junior college baseball with Southeastern Community College.

Riley was hitting .351 with two doubles, two triples, 10 RBI, 18 runs and 7 stolen bases during 2019-20 the shortened season. Then, in the 2020-21 season, he hit .304 with seven home runs, 29 RBI, 71 runs scored and 27 stolen bases.

If he chooses Iowa, Riley would join a trio of recent transfer arms. Iowa has already brought in Oklahoma State transfer Brant Hogue, Dallas Baptist transfer Reece Beuter and Creighton transfer Anthony Watts.

Hogue appeared in just three games last year with Oklahoma State before a partial UCL tear ended his season prematurely. Before that, the 6-foot-4, 223 pound lefty tossed 59 1/3 innings with the Iowa Western Reivers, surrendering just 11 earned runs to post a 1.67 ERA across 13 starts and 14 overall appearances.

Hogue ended the 2022 season with a perfect 6-0 record and he racked up 93 strikeouts against just 16 walks. His strikeouts per nine innings while at Iowa Western was 14.11. Hogue had one complete game performance as well.

Beuter made 15 appearances with the Dallas Baptist Patriots, compiling a 4.86 ERA across 16 2/3 innings of work. The 6-foot-1, 196 pound redshirt junior struck out 15 and walked six.

Watts made eight starts across 14 overall appearances. He compiled a 2-3 record with a 5.15 ERA with 26 strikeouts against 25 walks.

Iowa is coming off a record-setting 2023 season. The Hawkeyes made the regional final of the Terre Haute Regional before bowing out against No. 14 overall seed Indiana State. Iowa finished the 2023 season with a single season record-tying 44 wins. The Hawkeyes’ 2023 mark was 44-16.

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