As the offseason rolls on, the makeup of the Iowa Hawkeyes for 2024 continues to evolve and change.
The 2023 season was a historic one in Iowa City as Rick Heller and Hawkeye baseball tied a school record with 44 wins and made a regional final appearance against Indiana State. Now, the hope is that the Hawks can keep it rolling with back-to-back NCAA Tournament and regional appearances.
And, of course, taking it one step further to a Super Regional or beyond.
That won’t be with second baseman Sam Hojnar, though. D1Baseball and Kyle Huesmann of On3’s Hawkeye Report confirmed that Hojnar has entered the NCAA transfer portal.
BREAKING🚨
Per @d1baseball, Iowa 2B Sam Hojnar has entered the transfer portal. Started 59 games for the Hawkeyes this season. pic.twitter.com/FIjXUG1Kqs
— Kyle Huesmann (@HuesmannKyle) June 12, 2023
A 6-foot-2, 185 pound native of Naperville, Ill., Hojnar is heading elsewhere. Hojnar was a mainstay in the Hawkeye infield this season, appearing in 59 of 60 games and starting 57 of them.
He finished with a .255 batting average, 59 RBIs, 42 runs scored, 21 walks, 10 home runs, 13 doubles and one triple. Hojnar also converted on a perfect 11-for-11 stolen base attempts.
The likely starter going forward at second base for Iowa is sophomore Gable Mitchell. Mitchell started five games and played in 31, compiling a .121 batting average, eight walks, five RBIs and a pair of doubles. Sophomore Blake Guerin will be expected to take over at first base alongside Mitchell on the right side of the Hawkeyes’ infield.
Meanwhile, on the left side of its infield, Iowa will return senior shortstop Michael Seegers and redshirt junior third baseman Raider Tello. Seegers registered a .322 batting average with 57 runs scored and 31 RBIs, while Tello hit .306, tallied 48 RBIs and scored 47 runs.
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