THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION
| 2,031 MLB PLAYERS | 14,466 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
2,031 MLB PLAYERS | 14,466 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Leagues  | Story | 3/28/2019

Iowa League 'springs' into '19

Jeff Dahn
Photo: Carter Baumler (Perfect Game)

Week 1 PG Iowa Spring League Recap

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Spring officially sprung in Eastern Iowa at the Mount Mercy University baseball field on this city’s near northeast side early last Friday evening, and it did so despite a prevalent and persistent chill in the air.

“I call it ‘breathing baseball’ right now,” former Cedar Falls (Iowa) High School head coach Jack Sole told Perfect Game while wearing a smile as wide as a catcher’s mitt. “It’s a beautiful setting here and it’s awesome that Mount Mercy lets us utilize this (field) so, yeah, it’s baseball time.”

Sole was part of a sizeable gathering of players, coaches, parents and onlookers on hand for the opener at this year’s new and improved PG Iowa Select Spring League, the latest rendition of the venerable Iowa wood bat spring league that founder and president Jerry Ford first introduced in 1996.

The PG Spring League was created to benefit the top prospects in the state of Iowa who don’t have the opportunity to play for their high school teams during the spring – the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) sanctions only a summer season.

“Our main goal in starting Perfect Game nearly 25 years ago, was to give talented players in Iowa more opportunities,” PG’s Ford explained this week. “PG has since become a National/International organization, but one that has never lost track of its original vision.”

That vision has produced a rich history of success. Since its inception nearly 25 years ago, 90 prospects from Iowa have been selected in the annual MLB June Amateur Draft and 89 of them played in the Spring League.

Thirteen of those 89 drafted players went on to play in the big leagues, including notables like Jeff Clement, Joel Hanrahan, Jeremy Hellickson, Scott Schebler, Ryan Sweeney and Tony Watson.

“That’s not really something I think about but it doesn’t really come as a surprise to me; I feel like Iowa is kind of slept-on talent-wise in the whole spectrum of things,” Sticks’ outfielder/infielder Adam Brauch, a junior at West Des Moines Dowling Catholic HS and a Valparaiso University commit told PG when presented with those numbers.

“They all recognize the history,” Sole said. “We were talking about the guys that have played before them and we talked about playing Jarred Kelenic out here last year. They recognize it and they all have some talent and ability and who knows, and a lot of these guys are going to get the opportunity to recognize the state and themselves at the next level.”

The March 22 opener at Mount Mercy featured a matchup between two of the most prospect-laden rosters in this year’s 27-team lineup: the Iowa Sticks-Romanchuk, co-coached by Evan Romanchuk and Jason Pearson, and the Iowa Select 2019-Sole/Frazier, ran by Jack Sole and Leo Frazier. The Sticks have a more Central Iowa flavor and the Select more of an Eastern Iowa bent.

The rosters for both squads were somewhat depleted on Friday, a combination of other Iowa Sticks and Iowa Select teams playing games at TBK Bank Sports Complex in Bettendorf and some players still out of town on their respective spring breaks. But these teams, when they’re whole, are both interesting and intriguing from a talent standpoint.

“We’re all going to be very aggressive out here,” Brauch said. “It’s our first time taking live ground balls and seeing live pitching, but I think we’re all going to come swinging hard, playing hard. That’s what it’s all about, really, just playing hard, having fun and the wins are going to come. That’s obviously our goal at the end of the day, to get some wins.”

All of these Iowa guys were ready to get after it, especially after enduring brutally cold temperatures and what seemed like mountains of snow throughout February and into early March. In fact, some piles of snow left behind by street plows were still visible from the dugouts at Mount Mercy.

“Physically, for me, it’s just been working out and hitting inside as much as you possibly can,” said Iowa Select 2019 outfielder Josh Fitzgerald, an uncommitted senior at Mason City Newman Catholic HS who is ranked the No. 4 overall prospect in Iowa’s class of 2019..

“I think the main focus with the Spring League is just getting ready for your high school season, seeing live pitching and getting your time down, just getting used to playing the game.”

Sole has been involved with the PG Spring League ever since his son J.T. Sole counted elite prospects like AJ Puk, Keaton McKinney and Mitch Keller among his Iowa Select teammates. Casey Sole, a senior at Cedar Falls HS and a Southeast Missouri State signee, is on his dad’s team this spring.

“This is a great opportunity for these Iowa guys,” Jack Sole said. “One, it’s a great opportunity for anybody to just get themselves prepared for the next step they’re going to take and, two, we’re able to face some pretty good pitching in this and even in the spring we’ve always had that opportunity. …

“This is great for the kids to be able to take a few steps and get a little better and then jump into their high school season in another month or so; it’s always been awesome.”

When totally intact, the rosters of the Iowa Sticks-Romanchuk and Iowa Select 2019-Sole/Frazier can hold their own with many of the top travel ball clubs from across the country.

The Select feature senior middle-infielder Sam Link from Dubuque Senior HS, the No. 1-ranked overall 2019 prospect in Iowa (No. 476 nationally) and a U. of Iowa signee.

Other top-500 2019s include Fitzgerald (No. 4 Iowa); right-hander/first baseman Harrison Cook, Cedar Rapids Prairie (No. 6 Iowa, U. of Kentucky recruit); right-hander/middle-infielder Sam Goodman, Western Dubuque HS (No. 8, Iowa); catcher/corner-infielder Casey Sole (No. 12); catcher Garrett Ries, C.R. Xavier (No. 13, South Dakota St.); outfielder Drake Frazier, C.R. Jefferson (No. 14, South Dakota St.) and outfielder DJ Heck, Iowa City High (No. 19, Iowa).

Junior catcher/outfielder/right-hander Calvin Harris from Western Dubuque, an Ole Miss commit ranked Nos. 141/2 and the MVP at the 2016 PG 14u Select Baseball Festival, is the top 2020 on the roster. Outfielder/middle-infielder Coy Sarsfield from Marion Linn-Mar HS is an Iowa commit and the No. 4-ranked Iowa prospect in the 2021 class.

Sole said this Iowa Select 2019 Sole/Frazier team is really no different in its make-up from the teams that have played under the Iowa Select banner for the last seven or eight years.

“There are future pro prospects on all of these teams that we play in this league, and what a great opportunity for them to show it off a little bit,” he said.

The directors and coaches at the Iowa Sticks make a conscience effort to mix-and-match the rosters with players from high schools all over Central Iowa, making sure that the top guys are on the same teams in order to amplify the exposure.

“It’s a pretty successful program we’re running and it’s important to get them out here early before (the summer high school) season starts,” the Sticks’ Jason Pearson told PG on Friday. “Just get them some swings and some innings and come out and play the game the right way. …

“The parents are great in trusting their kids with us and say, hey, let’s get them better and try to move on and have them be successful in baseball.”

While the Iowa Sticks Romanchuk roster features some top senior talent like outfielder/left-hander Nathan Steenblock from WDM Catholic, it is the junior class that grabs the spotlight.

And that starts with another top WDM Dowling Catholic prospect in Carter Baumler. A top right-hander and do-everything utility player, Baumler is Iowa’s top-ranked prospect in the class of 2020 (No. 128 nationally) and a Texas Christian commit.

Other national top-500 and Iowa top-10 2020s on the Sticks’ roster include Alec Nigut, Des Moines Roosevelt (Iowa commit); Casey Young, Winterset Senior (Northwestern); Jackson Payne, Waukee HS (South Dakota St.); Jalen Martinez, Waukee, Logan Smith, Dallas Center-Grimes (South Dakota St.) and Dowling Catholic’s  Brauch (Valparaiso).

“It feels great to be out here and I think we’re all just excited to see some live pitching,” Brauch said. “We’ve all been inside for a while working our butts off during the winter. We’re just out here trying to get some good exposure and seeing some of the best arms from around the area; just kind of getting ready for the summer season.”

Getting ready for the summer season is what drives these players. Pearson pointed out that a typical position player may get only about 100 at-bats during his high school season, so it makes perfect sense to come out here and get anywhere from 50 to 100 addition at-bats – against high-end pitching – in front of the summer season.

“Coming out here and getting in the early (work) and getting looked at before May 1st and their (high school team) practice starts before their season,” is beneficial, he said. “Then they can come back to us in the fall and we run a good program and we travel a lot and they can get good exposure for that, too.”

Brauch acknowledged that playing a summer high school season makes it more difficult for the Iowa players to receive the kind of exposure in front of scouts and college recruiters that they’d receive if they were playing on the PG travel ball circuit.

He likes that by participating in the Iowa Spring League he can get his stats and other relevant numbers out on PG’s website, and those numbers can then complement what he’s able to do in the fall by playing with the Sticks in PG WWBA tournaments or in the Iowa Fall League.

The Select’s Fitzgerald agreed: “A lot of kids some into this and they’re committed or they’re getting a lot of looks,” he said. “The talent is good here, and it’s not just the league that you’ve signed-up to play in. The kids are high-level baseball players and there’s a lot of talent that comes into this league; that’s good for everyone because it makes every one of us better.”

Jack Sole described this Iowa spring season as a time when the players can get their legs back underneath them after a long and dormant winter. Josh Fitzgerald talked about how much he’s enjoyed getting to know and becoming friends with players from other Iowa high schools while playing in the Spring League. And it all stems from that original vision, continuing even as Perfect Game has grown well beyond its Iowa roots.

“The more we grow  nationally the better we can create opportunities for young players here in Iowa, whether it be college or professional baseball,” PG’s Ford concluded. “The results have been outstanding, both for the spring and the fall leagues.”
Give us your feedback
Leagues | Story | 4/18/2023

Iowa Spring League Notebook: Week 3
Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Joey Oakie (‘24, Ankeny, IA) touching 94 early this morning sitting 90-92. Oakie collected 4 K’s through 3 IP. Explosive arm and gets good ride on his fastball. Also flashed a good slider for strikes. Able to work himself out of a jam early. #PGSpringLeague #Iowa commit. pic.twitter.com/Ihdk3FsVOZ — Perfect Game Iowa (@IowaPG) April 15, 2023 Joey Oakie (2024, Ankeny, Iowa) threw his first warm up pitch of the day at 94 mph and did not disappoint in the rest of his performance. Oakie went on to throw three innings collecting four strikeouts, no base on balls, and one earned run. Oakie also adds a wicked slider that dips all the way down to 76 mph, keeping hitters honest. He has elite separation in his upper body and creates a ton of whip with explosive arm speed. Oakie was working the whole zone this weekend and showed some cut on his fastball as well. Oakie has already...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/27/2023

Midwest Invitational Scout Notes

Tyler Kotila
Article Image
Creighton Tuzzio (2024, Clarinda, Iowa) took the ball in the semi-final game and was able to get on the bump and carve for his team. Tuzzio is a taller 6-foot-6, 210-pound frame with plenty to like in the operation. The right-handed pitcher has a slower and more controlled operation as he works through the delivery. He lifts the leg up around the belt and then works through a three-quarters release with good whip through it. The fastball worked up to 86 mph on the fastball and held in the low- to mid-80s. He creates some angle on it with the taller & projectable frame. It runs arm-side and can be a problem for right-handed hitters. He also showed a low-70s curveball with a bigger 11/5 tilt to it and good depth to miss some bats. The Iowa Western commit threw 5.0 innings, allowing just 1 run, with 4 walks and 6 strikeouts to his credit.   There’s no surprise here, but...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/26/2023

WWBA World Championship Pool Preview

Perfect Game Staff
Article Image
Pool A Team Top Pos. Player RK Class Top Pitcher RK Class Location Boston Red Sox Scout Connor Lane 500 2024 Tague Davis 59 2024 Boston, MA Cangelosi Sparks Tyler Bell  122 2024 Brady Chambers 500 2024 Lockport, IL Dirtbags National 2024 Dalton Wentz 74 2024 Riley Leatherman 251 2024 Sedalia, NC Florida Burn Colton Schwarz 214 2025 Presley Woodson 500 2025 Sarasota, FL Projected Pool Winner: Dirtbags National 2024 With one of the deepest and most physical lineups in the nation, the Dirtbags National 2024 club have been putting up runs in bunches. No hitter is hotter than Austin Irby, as the ECU commit is While sluggers Dalton Wentz, Will Craddock and Palmer Hornick won’t be in attendance, Lee Sowers, Will Brooks, Jon Young Jr. and spark plug Carter Richardson lead an offense that averages over 7 runs per game. They can cover ground on...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/26/2023

Coastal Soph. Fall Invite Scout Notes

Todd Coffey
Article Image
Michael Flores (2026, NC) looking great through 4 innings pitched with 11 k’s. Great command and completely missing barrels. #2023WWBACoastalSophmoreFallInvatational pic.twitter.com/Oqd3WD0E05 — PG Coastal Scouting (@PG_Coastal) September 24, 2023 Michael Flores (2026, Mooresville, NC) put on an electric performance to watch for the SBA Futures 2026 in their matchup versus the Carolina Reds. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound, RHP did his job for his team today to keep them in the game. Flores throws with a high leg lift and creates some good motions towards the plate with his whippy action. Flores has a great feel for the zone and pounded strikes at a 66% rate. Flores generated swing and miss after swing and miss and it was clear he was in control out there on the mound. He sat in the 70-mph range to 79-mph range with his fastball with the ability to pinpoint it wherever he pleased....
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/26/2023

Fall Frenzy Scout Notes

Jason Phillips
Article Image
James Sherry (’26, Aiken, S.C.)- the 6-foot-1, 155-pound right-handed pitcher tossed a complete game for Xtreme Xposure Baseball-Bennett in an 8-1 win over 2 Way Athletics 16U. A primary outfielder, Sherry finished with 15 strikeouts and just one walk while controlling the zone at a 65% strike rate. Appearing in only his second PG tournament, Sherry turned in another great pitching performance after being selected to the All-Tournament Team at the 2023 16U PG Southeast Labor Day Classic. Aidan Petrocco (‘24 GA)- singles here into LF to load the bases for @643DPAthletics Primary MIF 2-for-4 w/ run scored on the day. #FallFrenzy @PG_Uncommitted pic.twitter.com/Ly7zEuRwyg — Perfect Game Georgia (@PG_Georgia) September 24, 2023 Aidan Petrocco (’24, Johns Creek, Ga.)- the 5-foot-9, 160-pound right-handed hitter for 643 DP Cougars 18U led the 18U Southeast Fall Frenzy...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/27/2023

Sophomore WWBA Scout Notes: Day 3-5

Kyler Peterson
Article Image
A high speed look at this 2B from Keon Johnson... #WWBAWorlds @PG_Georgia https://t.co/Ejl8GirIgk pic.twitter.com/ate7ro35cp — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) September 24, 2023 Keon Johnson (2026, Macon, Ga.) started off the morning loud, going down to get a pitch down and smoking a double that split the opposite field gap at a 92 mph exit velocity. The shortstop has one of the best hit tools in the class and has tremendous feel for the barrel. The swing is quiet and simple, staying loose through the zone. The ball jumps and the parts really work. At short, Johnson looked silky with good actions, range, and plenty of arm strength across. The game comes easy for the Georgia native, and still just 15, the all-around game is very well-refined for the age.  Jaxson Wood (2026, Hoover, Ala.) finished batting .500 over the tournament, including three extra-base hits. The primary...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/25/2023

Deep South Fall Invitational Scout Notes

Alex Dorso
Article Image
Patrick Kovacs (2026 Knoxville TN) was dominant in his outing in game two of pool play for Exposure National. The southpaw tossed three scoreless innings allowing two hits while striking out eight. He showed plus command of the fastball dotting it to both sides of the plate while working off the corners at times. Patrick sat 75-78 topping at 79 multiple times throughout. He mixed in a tight breaking ball with two plane movement that he had no problem mixing in any count keeping the opposing hitters off balanced in the box. Coming from a mid 3/4s slot there was some deception within the operation making it tough to pick the fastball up out of the hand. The frame has plenty of athleticism within with plenty of more room for additional strength as he continues to mature. Kovacs should be a fun follow as he continues to progress through high school. Ryan Riojas (‘26 TN) drives this...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/24/2023

Sophomore WWBA Scout Notes: Day 3

Troy Sutherland
Article Image
Sophomore WWBA Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Extended look at Gunnar Garrison... 7 IP, 1 H, OER, 13 K, 1 BB (70% K) #WWBAWorlds @PG_FourCorners https://t.co/V89oASpD8r pic.twitter.com/tsP1mWCoNz — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) September 21, 2023 Colorado right-hander Gunnar Garrison (2026, Eaton, Colo.) was magnificent in his start for Slammers Anderson 2026’s. The big and physical 6-foot-4, 210-pound arm threw a complete game, seven inning, one-hit shutout, striking out 13 and walking one. The fastball had downhill life to it, sitting in the 85-88 range for the entirety of the game. Garrison held the velocity and reached back for his fastest bullet of the game, at 89, in the seventh inning. Finishing the outing with 70% strikes, he filled up the zone and went right at hitters. He also induced swing-and-miss on a curveball, featuring late...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/22/2023

Northeast Qualifier Scout Notes

John McAdams
Article Image
Jack Harley (2024, Mendham, NJ) put together a dominant performance at the plate in the WWBA NEQ, leading his team to a coveted Jupiter bid while also earning MVP-honors. The 6-foot-1 left-handed hitter showcased his advanced bat-to-ball skills on several occasions. He batted .643 with two doubles, a home run and six stolen bases. Harley utilizes a repeatable, synced-up stroke with clean separation into launch. He has a great feel for the barrel and creates good strength at impact to all parts of the diamond. The future Hokie recorded a hit in all six of his games and proved to be a reliable bat at the top-of-the-order for Clubhouse 2024 EvoShield. Harley’s build offers a good balance of strength and athleticism, making him a well-rounded prospect with intriguing upside moving forward.  .#VandyBoys commit Aiden O’Connell (‘24, NH) is back on the bump in the #NEQ...
Read More
Tournaments | Story | 9/23/2023

Sophomore WWBA Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
Nathan Caldwell (2026, Columbia, S.C.) looked the part in the batter’s box as the Team Elite three-hole hitter had one of the hardest hit balls of the day. There’s really impressive bat speed and the ability to create violence and rotational acceleration through contact. He missiled a single during the game and there looks like there’s going to be pretty significant impact potential long term. He’s a strong kid with good indicators and offensive tools to like. Drew Borkowski (2026, Huntley, Ill.) showed plenty to like in the arm as he got the start in game one on the day for GRB. At 6-foot-1, 170-pounds he’s got a lanky frame with long limbs and plenty of room for physical projection. It’s a quick arm with solid arm speed throughout and he opened up sitting 85-87 mph with the fastball. The fastball showed good sinking life and he used it to get a lot...
Read More
College | Story | 9/22/2023

Cape Cod Top 2025 Prospect List

Vincent Cervino
Article Image
Earlier this week we debuted our Cape Cod Top 100 Prospect List and mixed amongst the 100 names were some 2025 graduates who will be eligible for the upcoming 2024 MLB Draft. Below, each of the 50 names are eligible in 2025 and those listed with an "^" are continuing their careers at a new school this fall.  Name Pos. Team School Hometown State Adonys Guzman^ C Bourne Arizona Valley Cottage NY Aidan Jimenez RHP Chatham Oregon State Elk Grove CA Anthony Martinez 1B YD UC Irvine Fairfield CA Ben Jacobs LHP Bourne UCLA Huntington Beach CA Bradley Hodges LHP Hyannis Virginia Fleming Island FL Brady Neal C YD LSU Tallahassee FL Brody Donay^ C/1B Hyannis Florida Lakeland FL Caden Bodine C Bourne Coastal Carolina Haddon Heights NJ Cam Leiter^ RHP Orleans Florida State Island Heights FL Cannon Peebles^ C Cotuit Tennessee Mechanicsville VA Drew Faurot^ SS Orleans Florida State Tallahassee FL...
Read More
Loading more articles...
About Perfect Game :: Contact us :: Terms of Use :: Privacy Policy :: Testimonials :: Job Opportunities
Copyright 1994-2026 by Perfect Game. All rights reserved. No portion of this information may be reprinted or reproduced without the written consent of Perfect Game.