Iowa high school baseball 2020: Gazette area players and teams to watch

Gazette area players and teams to watch for the 2020 Iowa high school baseball season, which begins Monday.

Players

Calvin Harris, Western Dubuque, sr. — Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association all-state super team, Mississippi Valley Conference Mississippi Division Player of the Year, Iowa Print Sports Writers Association Class 4A first-team all-state, Gatorade Player of the Year, .408 batting average, seven home runs, 40 RBIs, 3-1, 1.07 earned-run average, 63 strikeouts, 32 2/3 innings pitched, Ole Miss commit.

Marcus Morgan, Iowa City West, jr. — IHSBCA all-state super team, 4A first-team all-state, first-team all-MVC Valley, 10-0, 0.71 ERA, 105 strikeouts in 59 1/3 IP.

Nolan Frey, Iowa City Liberty, sr. — IPSWA 4A second-team all-state, IHSBCA 4A second-team all-state, first-team all-MVC Valley, .431 batting average, 42 RBIs, 4-2 record, 55 strikeouts in 49 innings.

Gage Franck, Marion, jr. — IHSBCA 3A second-team all-state, IPSWA 3A third-team all-state; second-team all-Metro, .353 BA, 29 RBIs, 47 hits, 24 stolen bases, 40 runs.

Owen Puk, Marion, jr. — .338 BA, .459 on-base percentage, eight doubles, 28 RBIs, 1-0 record.

Coy Sarsfield, Linn-Mar, jr. — IHSBCA 4A second-team in 2018; second-team all-MVC Valley, .302 BA, .440 on-base percentage, 25 stolen bases, Iowa commit.

Mason Behn, Cedar Rapids Kennedy, soph. — IHSBCA 4A first-team all-district, first-team all-MVC Valley, first-team all-Metro, .441 BA, 52 hits, 10 doubles, 24 RBIs, 3-2 record.

Noah Tieskoetter, South Winneshiek, sr. — IPSWA 1A third-team all-state, IHSBCA first-team all-district, .379 BA, nine doubles, 23 RBIs, 51 stolen bases, 6-1 record, 2.26 ERA, 78 strikeouts.

Reed Stallman, Alburnett, jr. — IPSWA 1A first-team all-state; IHSBCA first-team all-state, .450 BA, 50 hits, 15 doubles, four triples, two home runs, 52 RBIs.

Hunter Caves, Alburnett, jr. — IPSWA 1A third-team all-state, IHSBCA first-team all-district, .366 BA, 45 hits, eight doubles, 33 RBIs, 63 runs, 43 stolen bases,

Austin Hilmer, North Linn, soph. — IPSWA 2A third-team all-state, IHSBCA second-team all-district, .428 BA, 48 RBIs, 71 runs, 52 stolen bases, 5-1, 0.60 ERA, 35 IP.

Dylan McVeigh, Cedar Rapids Jefferson, jr. — IHSBCA second-team all-district, second-team all-MVC Valley, second-team all-Metro, .342 BA, .432 on-base percentage, 41 hits, seven doubles, 23 RBIs,

Nick Banowetz, Cedar Rapids Xavier, sr. — IHSBCA 3A first-team all-district, second-team all-MVC Mississippi, second-team All-Metro, .353 BA, .481 on-base percentage, 42 hits, three home runs, 33 RBIs, 32 runs.

Logan McDermott, Cedar Rapids Xavier — honorable mention all-MVC Mississippi, 8-1 record, 1.63 ERA, 51 2/3 IP.

Matt Paulsen, West Branch, sr. — IPSWA 2A second-team all-state, IHSBCA first-team all-district, .426 BA, .463 on-base percentage, nine doubles, 43 hits, 30 runs, 4-2 record.

Trey Eagle, West Branch, sr. — .395 BA, 11 doubles, four home runs, 33 RBIs, 5-0 record, 57 strikeouts, 41 2/3 IP.

Chase Becker, Iowa City Regina, jr. — IPSWA 2A third-team all-state, IHSBCA first-team all-district, first-team all-River Valley Conference, .417 BA, .581 on-base percentage, 12 doubles, four triples, 28 RBIs, Minnesota commit.

Brody Wolf, HLV, sr. — IPSWA 1A second-team all-state, IHSBCA second-team all-state, 11-2 record, 0.85 ERA, 75 strikeouts, 74 IP, 0.97 WHIP, .307 BA, 26 RBIs.

Garrett Bormann, Iowa City High, sr. — .338 BA, .432 on-base percentage, 47 hits, 32 runs, 17 SB, 4-2 record.

Carson Sirowy, Cedar Rapids Prairie, sr. — First-team all-MVC Mississippi, honorable mention all-Metro, .318 BA, .430 on-base percentage, 34 hits, 30 runs.

Teams

Alburnett

2019 record: 34-6 overall, 24-2 Tri-Rivers Conference

2019 postseason: Class 1A state runner-up

Coach: Ryan Stensland (16th year, 348-159)

Key returners: 1B/P Reed Stallman, jr.; SS/P Hunters Caves, jr.; OF Austin Huber, sr..; P/2B Kale Rose, jr.; P/IF Caden Evans, jr.; C Shane Neighbor, jr.; IF Grant Soukup, sr..; OF Andrew Ossman, soph.; P/OF Gavin Soukup, soph.; OF Jordan Balderston, sr..; IF Dillon Kremer, sr..; C Dylan Barenz, soph.

Cedar Rapids Xavier

2019 record: 41-2 overall, 28-2 Mississippi Valley Conference

2019 postseason: Class 3A state champion

Coach: Dan Halter (2nd year, 71-12)

Key returners: C/1B Nick Banowetz, sr..; IF/OF Tyler Dupont sr..; P Logan McDermott, sr..; P Ben Kisting, sr..; P/OF Bryce Serovy, sr..; P Matthew Tvedt, sr..; P Ryan Vondracek, sr..; OF Nick Fischer, sr..; IF Drew Dupont, sr..; P Brendan Sullivan, sr..; OF Bryant Finley, sr..

Iowa City West

2019 record: 34-8 overall, 24-6 Mississippi Valley Conference

2019 postseason: Class 4A state semifinalist

Coach: Charlie Stumpff (27th year, 716-358 at I.C. West, 790-409 overall)

Key returners: P Marcus Morgan, jr.; P/IF Ben Madden, sr..; P/OF Ben Vander Leest, sr..; P/1B Brett Cherry, sr..; P/C Matt Cupp, sr..; P/1B Clay Hulsebus, sr..; P/OF Drew Klein, sr..; IF Colin Leavy, sr..; P/OF Daniel Song, sr..

Marion

2019 record: 33-6 overall, 22-4 Wamac Conference

2019 postseason: Class 3A state semifinalist

Coach: Steve Fish (21st year, 715-387)

Key returners: OF/P Gage Franck, jr.; P/Utility Owen Puk, jr.; P/1B Dane Carstensen, sr.., 2B/P Brady Johnson, sr..; OF/P Lucas Unsen, jr.; Utility Ryan Paulsen, jr.; P/1B Jaqson Tejada, soph.; C Jake Trca, soph.; OF Cael Hodges, soph.; C/3B Kaden Frommelt, fr.

North Linn

2019 record: 40-6 overall, 23-3 Tri-Rivers Conference

2019 postseason: Class 2A state finalist

Coach: Travis Griffith (13th year, 374-197)

Key returners: SS/P Austin Hilmer, so.; 1B Nathan McEnany sr..; C Alex Sturbaum, jr.; 3B Lucas Voss, sr..; IF Parker Bechen, sr..; P Rickey Bebensee, sr..; IF Trey McEnany, so.; CF Cael Bridgewater, fr.

South Winneshiek

2019 record: 29-10 overall, 11-1 Upper Iowa Conference

2019 postseason: Class 1A quarterfinalist

Coach: Alex Smith (10th year, 222-131)

Key Returners: 1B Seth Greve, sr..; C/P Kody Kleve, sr..; IF/P Noah Tieskoetter, sr..; IF/P Jaron Todd, sr..; OF/P Cael Kuboushek, jr.; IF/P Ethan Luzum jr.

West Branch

2019 record: 20-8 overall, 14-4 River Valley Conference

2019 postseason: Class 2A state quarterfinalist

Coach: Andy Lapel (2nd year, 20-8)

Key returners: P/IF Trey Eagle, sr..; P/1B/3B Matt Paulsen, sr..; P/C/OF Pete Espensen, sr..; IF Matt Whaley, sr..; IF Brad Hunger, sr..; IF Gavin Hierseman, jr.

Western Dubuque

2019 record: 32-10 overall, 23-7 MVC

2019 postseason: Class 4A quarterfinalist

Coach: Casey Bryant (21st year, 506-282)

Key returners: C Calvin Harris, sr..; P/3B Casey Perrenoud, sr..; 3B/1B Sawyer Nauman, jr.; LF Payton Quagliano, sr..; IF/OF Ben Bryant, sr..; OF Will Burds, sr..; OF Carter Kluesner, sr..

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