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2025 Gazette-area baseball awards
The 2025 high school baseball season has concluded. All that remains is the announcement of postseason honors. Among those are the third annual Gazette-area baseball awards.
Aug. 3, 2025 6:30 am
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TEAM OF THE YEAR: IOWA CITY HIGH
The Little Hawks captured their first state baseball title in school history. City High was tagged No. 1 in the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association preseason poll. The Little Hawks were supplanted atop the rankings after a couple weeks but remained in the top-five all season, making their run as the fourth-rated team. City High beat Bettendorf, 4-1, but played in a de facto championship game against Cedar Rapids Prairie in the semifinal. Prairie had been ranked No. 1 for part of the season and swept a regular-season doubleheader with City High. The Little Hawks avenged those losses with a 6-3 victory when it mattered most.
City High Coach Brian Mitchell said it was the byproduct of really talented players playing together for a long time, including as youths.
“Many years of state tournament experience,” said Mitchell, who led City High to four straight state tournaments, five in the last six years with three semifinals since 2022. “During this state tournament, they had a Division-I experience. Being together for the week and having fun together almost made baseball secondary, which I think took a lot of the pressure off.
“The depth on this team allowed us to be prepared for a very challenging schedule. If we did not have the pitching depth that we had, we likely would not have been a No. 1 seed at substate, being a No. 1 seed carries tremendous advantage.”
The Little Hawks’ pitching was key to success. They ranked first in 4A in team earned-run average (1.70), hits allowed (195), earned runs allowed (67), walks allowed (75) and WHIP (0.98). The 100 runs allowed and opponents’ .191 were second.
City High wasn’t just a one-trick pony. The Little Hawks could hit and run a little, too. They ranked second in 4A with 21 home runs, fourth with 147 stolen bases and fifth in total bases (478). Impressive considering City High finished with the 10 th-toughest schedule, according to Bound, and playing in the Mississippi Valley Conference Valley, which included 3A runner-up Dubuque Wahlert and Prairie.
“This team played defense at a very high level, could play small ball (and) was fast, putting pressure on defenses,” Mitchell said. “But also was able to hit for power and average. Our offense gained momentum about midway through the season and got hot at the right time with the likes of Drew Nye, Dom Salibi and Talon Young, hitting their best at the state tournament.”
Standouts like Drake Obermueller, Jaxton Schroeder, Dominic Salibi, Owen Hicks, Paxton Bell, Nick Meredith and Adam Bowman powered City High to a 33-9 record, the school’s second-best single-season total since 2007.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: KAMREN FRANCOIS, C.R. PRAIRIE
This season is stocked with multiple contenders for Player of the Year. Cedar Rapids Washington’s Caiden Buonadonna, Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Ty Donels, North Linn’s Mason Bechen, City High’s Obermueller and Francois’ teammate Tait Tierney.
Francois, a shortstop that hit in the No. 2 spot, churned out impressive and balanced numbers for the Hawks. He led the Metro with a .437 batting average and amassed 55 hits, which ranked fifth in 4A. His 43 singles was fifth and his 91 assists was fourth in the class. Francois and Tierney were catalysts to the Prairie offense. Francois reached base on a .559 clip, tallying 11 doubles, a triple, 23 walks, 12 hit by pitches, 68 total bases and scoring 54 runs. He stole 28 bases in 30 attempts.
Francois shared Metro Player of the Year honors with Linn-Mar’s Dylan Muszynski, adding to his unanimous first-team all-MVC Valley and IHSBCA first-team all-district awards. He also helped Prairie sit atop of the 4A rankings during the regular season and reach the 4A state semifinals.
The Hawks’ senior will continue his career at Southeastern Community College this fall.
“He played for us as a sophomore and had a hip injury that cut his season short,” Prairie Coach James Nelson told the Gazette before state. “In his junior season, he progressively improved and showed flashes of being one of the best players on the field. Just had the ups and downs of a baseball season.
“This season, he has grown into a great leader and shown consistency in playing at his best. He has put together a great season and shown to be one of the top players in Eastern Iowa.”
COACH OF THE YEAR: BRIAN MITCHELL, IOWA CITY HIGH
Mitchell is the embodiment of City High baseball. He was a three-time all-state player, helping the Little Hawks to state runner-up finishes in 1992 and 1995. Mitchell capped his 14 th season as head coach for his alma mater, taking over for the 2012 season after a stint in the private sector. He increased his career record to 339-214.
Mitchell, who set numerous records as a player at City High and as an all-Big Ten performer for the University of Iowa before a short career in the Toronto Blue Jays minor league organization, was an intense and aggressive competitor. It has carried over to his coaching, but even Mitchell admitted he “choked up” when the semifinal hurdle was cleared. He guided City High back to the finals for the first time since playing in the 1995 championship.
“Personally, it was very satisfying to reach a goal that we’ve talked about a lot,” Mitchell said. “Winning a state title isn’t necessarily the definition of success for a team but it is a great accomplishment. There were many teams from the past that were close, especially in the ‘90s. Many of those former classmates were thrilled to see City High become the first champions out of all the Iowa City schools. My family was a big part of this entire process and it was great to have everyone there for the title.”
Mitchell, whose sons, Gable and Jake, have played for him, has powered the program to one of its most successful eras. City High has qualified for state in five of the last six seasons, making the semifinals in three of the last four seasons.
“I think it’s important to note that our coaching staff meshed really well throughout this season, especially during the state tournament,” Mitchell said. “Our coaching staff is made up of three former Iowa teammates and the majority of our other coaches are City High baseball alumni. As a staff, we were incredibly prepared for this tournament.”
Prairie’s James Nelson and East Buchanan’s Thomas Crawford were also strong candidates. Both led their teams to the 4A and 1A state semifinals, respectively.
PITCHER OF THE YEAR: TY DONELS, C.R. KENNEDY
Donels is a great all-around performer. Pitching might be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Donels. He is an offensive dynamo as a leadoff batter. He can play multiple positions for Cougars Coach Bret Hoyer. Donels was solid on the mound for the Cougars. He recorded an 8-2 mark with a 2.69 ERA and 1.32 WHIP. Opponents whiffed 38 times and hit .203 against the junior right hander. His eight victories came against teams that combined for a 172-133 record. His two losses were against 3A power Wahlert and Linn-Mar, which was one of the hottest teams at that point of the season. Donels assisted his own cause, batting .403 with a .525 OBP, 30 RBIs and 56 runs.
Mount Vernon’s A.J. McDermott received heavy consideration. McDermott went 8-0 with a 2.84 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 49 1/3 innings. His top wins were over Solon and No. 3 Marion.
SUPER SLUGGER: CAIDEN BUONADONNA, C.R. WASHINGTON
Caiden Buonadonna worked on his craft in D-BAT batting cages during the offseason. Late evenings with former Lisbon and Cornell Coach and Cedar Rapids Jefferson standout Travis Bennett paid dividends. Buonadonna led the state in home runs for part of the season. He finished second overall and first in 4A with 13 home runs. He compiled a .386 batting average with 87 total bases. The Southeastern C.C. signee added nine doubles and 34 RBIs to his home run total. Foes tried to pitch around him, walking him 31 times for a .526 OBP.
JACK OF ALL TRADES AWARD: NORTH LINN’S MASON BECHEN
Bechen has been a staple in the Lynx lineup from his very first practice. He was a consistent leader in multiple facets of the game, despite injuries. Bechen did a little of everything for North Linn this season. He batted .584 with an astounding .700 on-base percentage. Bechen managed 51 runs, 45 hits, including 13 doubles, six triples and three home runs, 30 RBIs and 20 walks at the plate. On the base paths, he was perfect in 32 stolen base attempts. Bechen played multiple positions, committing just two errors in 103 total chances for a .981 fielding percentage. He also returned to the mound and went 3-1 with a save, striking out 24 in 22 1/3 innings. He finished his final season with a 0.31 ERA and 0.81 WHIP.
Prairie’s Tierney is also another strong candidate. He batted .367 with 51 hits, 49 runs, 20 RBIs, 24 stolen bases with a 7-1 pitching record, 1.85 ERA and 0.94 WHIP.
UNDERDOG AWARD: HILLCREST ACADEMY
Hillcrest Academy made its state debut under its current name, qualifying in 2007 and 2008 as Iowa Mennonite School. The Ravens soared in the postseason and racked up some impressive victories, including a 3-1 upset of top-ranked Remsen St. Mary’s in the 1A quarterfinals. The Ravens also knocked off No. 2 Sigourney, 5-4, in the substate semifinal. Hillcrest made gains each week and was playing its best baseball late in the season, winning 13 of their last 15 games and ending the season in the state semifinals against Martensdale-St. Marys. This underdog had a ferocious bite.
KING OF THIEVES AWARD: LINN-MAR’S DYLAN MUSZYNSKI
Muszynski’s speed, explosiveness and athleticism served him well on the baseball and football field. The Lions’ senior has wreaked havoc on the basepaths in his high school career. Muszynski swiped 35 bases this season, giving him 104 career steals. He broke Linn-Mar’s career stolen base record that stood for 38 years. Tom Busch, a 1987 graduate, held the old mark of 87. Muszynski was no one-trick pony. He was the All-Metro Co-Player of the Year, IHSBCA first-team all-district and all-MVC Mississippi first team. Muszynski also ranks first in at-bats (417), tied for second with 112 career runs scored, tied for second with 153 career hits and closed his career in the top-10 in RBIs (78), walks (52), hit by pitches (18) and total bases (181).
FIREMAN AWARD: C.R. KENNEDY’S DEACON KUCERA
Relievers, especially closers, used to be referred to as “firemen” for their part in putting out fires when opponents rally. Look no further than Kucera, who filled that role for the Cougars. Kucera led the entire state with eight saves. He recorded his final one in a 4A substate first-round win over Washington. Kucera pitched 19 1/3 innings, struck out 21 and had a 2.53 ERA. It was the third-best save total in program history, trailing Don “Goose” Flanagan’s 11 in 1983 and Teddy Shonka’s nine in 2006.
BLACK-AND-BLUE AWARD: ALBURNETT’S LAKEN CAVES
Getting hit by a pitch is part of the game and inducing them can even be an art form. Caves, a sophomore, may have had a few bruised that turned purple to match his uniform, getting plunked 24 times, including a whopping five times in one game against Edgewood-Colesburg on June 23. Caves tied for sixth in all classes and tied for third in Class 2A. The beanballs helped him finish with a .647 OBP.
Comments: k.j.pilcher@thegazette.com
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