Show summary Hide summary
The Iowa high school baseball state tournament opens Monday, July 20, in Carroll and Cedar Rapids, and 32 teams arrive with title ambitions. Which players step up in the early rounds will shape the bracket — several prospects enter with numbers that make them genuine difference-makers.
The following roundup highlights one impact player from each qualifying school across Classes 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A, offering a quick reference for fans, coaches and scouts tracking which performances could alter the tournament’s course.
Players to know at a glance
Execution video could fuel terrorist recruitment: Johnson warns
Mee Heng Low relaunches as community social club and rotating pop-up venue this month
- Cal Jepsen (Sioux City East) — .508 batting average, 64 hits, 38 steals.
- Lincoln Dalton (Pleasant Valley) — 7-1 pitching record, 0.66 ERA, 91 K’s; plus run producer at the plate.
- Jackson Green (Cascade) — 8-0 with an ERA under 1.00 and 76 strikeouts; the tournament ace to watch.
- Ty Heydon (Coon Rapids-Bayard) — .609 hitter with 64 RBI and two-way production on the mound.
Class 4A
Cal Jepsen, Sioux City East — Senior
Jepsen, headed to Western Kentucky, enters state with an exceptional slash line: a team-leading average north of .500 and 64 knocks on the season. His profile blends extra-base power (15 doubles, seven triples, six homers) with speed — he’s swiped 38 bases — making him a matchup nightmare in any round.
Evan Schmierer, Iowa City Liberty — Senior
Schmierer’s game is defined by pace and baserunning. The senior has produced a .496 average and 65 hits while stealing 40 bags, and he pairs high-contact hitting with the ability to manufacture runs.
Lincoln Dalton, Pleasant Valley — Senior
On the mound Dalton has been dominant: a 7-1 ledger across 10 starts, 91 strikeouts and a microscopic 0.66 ERA. He’s no one-dimensional star — at the plate he’s contributed 27 hits and 20 RBIs — so Pleasant Valley can attack opponents in multiple ways.
Trevin Helming (Johnston) has been Johnston’s spark plug, batting around .389 with 17 steals; Alex Williams (Southeast Polk) is the Rams’ projected starter with more than 80 strikeouts and an ERA below two; George Blake (Indianola) profiles as a two-way force with a .423 average, nine pitching wins and 25 steals; Ryan Stedman (West Des Moines Valley) combines an 0.71 ERA with eight homers and 42 RBI; Gavin de Jesus (Waukee) rounds out the class as a multi-hit threat with 24 steals.
Class 3A
Lincoln Norris, Knoxville — Junior
Norris is a multi-sport standout who has translated athleticism to the diamond: nearly a .500 average, eight homers and 14 steals, plus strong run prevention with a 0.64 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 33 innings.
JP Elbert, Dubuque Wahlert Catholic — Junior
Elbert is one of the most consistent bats in a deep lineup. He’s near .400 with 41 RBIs and has shown enough on the bump to help the staff — 28 strikeouts in 17 innings and a pair of decisions.
Western Dubuque’s sophomore Brady Rissman emerged into a middle-of-the-order threat and reliable starter, hitting above .440 with 57 RBIs while maintaining a sub-3.00 ERA. North Polk’s Bryce Burke provides steady offense and 15 stolen bases. Davenport Assumption’s Nolan Dittmer hits .500 with 47 runs and eight homers. Carlisle’s Owen Johnson couples 60 strikeouts with six pitching wins and six homers at the plate. MOC-Floyd Valley’s Brooks McCarty mixes a .387 average, 23 steals and seven pitching wins. Cedar Rapids Xavier’s Zander Murray arrives red-hot after a postseason no-hitter and a solid strikeout rate in limited innings.
Class 2A
Jackson Green, Cascade — Junior
Green is a true ace in this field: an 8-0 record, an ERA under one and 76 strikeouts in roughly 49 innings. His low walk totals further strengthen his profile — he can tilt a bracket singlehandedly when he’s on the bump.
Ridge View’s Blake Myrtue carries a .481 average with double-digit steals; Pleasantville’s JJ Phillips is a middle-of-the-lineup force, batting over .500 with 64 RBIs for the defending Class 2A champions. Dyersville Beckman’s Brady Gogel is just shy of a .400 mark and provides speed (19 steals) and gap power. Durant’s Colby Gast blends a .521 average and 44 stolen bases with dependable mound work (59 innings, 62 strikeouts). Roland-Story’s Colin Willis is part of the “40-40” club, scoring 44 runs and stealing 35 bases. Unity Christian’s Austin Hall has been a reliable middle-order bat, and West Lyon’s Cooper Schoening is a two-way contributor: over .500 with more than 50 strikeouts on the mound.
Class 1A
Ty Heydon, Coon Rapids-Bayard — Junior
Heydon’s season numbers read like a one-man highlight reel: a staggering .609 batting average, 64 RBIs, and 26 steals. He’s contributed heavily on the mound too, with 83 strikeouts in about 46 innings and a sub-1.50 ERA, making him one of the state’s premier two-way players.
Kale Moore (Moravia) pairs a sub-1.00 ERA with a near-.470 batting average and double-digit extra-base hits. Liam Thompson (North Linn) projects as a frontline arm with 88 strikeouts and an ERA around .73, while also delivering nearly .400 at the plate. Remsen St. Mary’s sophomore Dalton Klein leads his staff with 10 wins and 93 strikeouts and provides mid-order offense. Burlington Notre Dame’s Eli Oleson hits over .560 with 28 steals. South Winneshiek’s Braiden Todd is a true two-way performer with seven mound wins and 81 Ks. Ankeny Christian’s Tyler Davis has been exceptional as a sophomore: a .510 average, 32 steals and 7-0 on the bump. Mason City Newman Catholic’s Teagan Eisenlohr brings a middle-of-the-lineup power profile with nine homers and 46 RBIs.
Why these players matter
State tournaments are often decided by a handful of plays — a dominant starter, a timely extra-base hit, or a player who controls the running game. The names above carry track records this season that suggest they can swing momentum for their teams. For coaches, matching up against these contributors will be a priority; for fans, their performance will likely determine who advances deep into the bracket.
Below is a compact reference grouping the players by role to help you follow the matchups:
- Top pitchers to monitor: Jackson Green (Cascade), Lincoln Dalton (Pleasant Valley), Ryan Stedman (West Des Moines Valley), Dalton Klein (Remsen St. Mary’s).
- Best two-way threats: George Blake (Indianola), Ty Heydon (Coon Rapids-Bayard), Colby Gast (Durant), Liam Thompson (North Linn).
- Speed and table-setters: Evan Schmierer (Iowa City Liberty), Gavin de Jesus (Waukee), Colin Willis (Roland-Story), Eli Oleson (Burlington ND).
- Middle-of-order power: Cal Jepsen (Sioux City East), Nolan Dittmer (Davenport Assumption), Teagan Eisenlohr (Mason City Newman Catholic), JJ Phillips (Pleasantville).
The first pitches on July 20 will provide immediate answers: which favorites arrive ready, which under-the-radar players shine and which teams find the timely performance that turns a state week into a title run. Expect a mix of pitching duels and offensive bursts; this field includes arms who can shut down hitters and hitters who can change a game in one swing.
