Iowa high school baseball 2021: 15 Gazette area players to watch

Here are 15 players in the Gazette area to keep an eye on during the 2021 Iowa high school baseball season.

Marcus Morgan, sr., Iowa City West — First-team all-MVC Valley, IHSBCA Class 4A first-team all-district and second-team all-state team, 2019 all-state super team, 17-3 career mark, 34 strikeouts in 22 innings pitched and 3.18 earned-run average in 2020, batted .294 with .559 on-base percentage. University of Iowa baseball signee.

Gage Franck, sr., Marion — IHSBCA 3A first-team all-state, first-team all-Wamac East, 2019 all-state performer, batted .451 with a .551 on-base percentage, 32 hits and 27 runs. Committed to DMACC.

Owen Puk, sr., Marion — IHSBCA 3A first-team all-state, first-team all-Wamac East, .380 batting average, 27 hits, including four doubles, four triples and a home run and 25 RBIs. 1-0 with two saves. 1.98 ERA, 23 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings pitched. Florida International commit.

Coy Sarsfield, sr., Linn-Mar – First-team all-MVC Valley, IHSBCA 4A first-team all-district, 2019 all-stater, batted .442 with a .613 on-base percentage, 18 hits in 16 games, including three doubles, two triples, 10 stolen bases and 18 runs. Iowa signee.

Mason Behn, jr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy – First-team all-MVC Valley, IHSBCA 4A first-team all-district and second-team all-state, batted .339 with .458 on-base percentage, nine doubles, two home runs and 22 RBIs. Went 1-1 and struck out 18 in 14.1 innings pitched.

Gable Mitchell, jr., Iowa City High – IHSBCA 4A third-team all-state and first-team all-district, first-team all-MVC Mississippi, batted .433 with .521 on-base percentage, 26 hits, 36 total bases, 17 RBIs and 12 stolen bases.

Austin Hilmer, jr., North Linn – IHSBCA 2A first-team all-state, first-team all-Tri-Rivers Conference, batted .432, .500 on-base percentage, 35 hits, 35 runs, 20 RBIs, 29 stolen bases, 9-0 record with 1.20 ERA.

Jack Lux, sr., Cedar Rapids Xavier – IHSBCA 3A first-team all-state, first-team all-MVC Mississippi, batted .448 with .529 batting average, 23 runs, 26 hits, including five doubles, five triples and four home runs, 28 RBIs and 12 stolen bases.

Aidan Rath, sr., Mid-Prairie – IHSBCA 2A second-team all-state and first-team all-district, batted .562 with 676 on-base percentage, 27 hits, five home runs, six doubles, 22 runs, 29 RBIs and 49 total bases.

Hunter Caves, sr., Alburnett – IHSBCA 1A first-team all-district and second-team all-state, Tri-Rivers Conference MVP, batted .532 with .655 on-base percentage, 33 hits, including seven extra-base hits, 29 runs, 28 stolen bases, 5-0 record, 0.56 ERA, 40 strikeouts in 37 2/3 innings pitched.

Kale Rose, sr., Alburnett – IHSBCA 1A third-team all-state and first-team all-district, first-team all-TRC, batted .429 with .526 on-base percentage, 27 hits, 24 runs, 22 RBIs, three triples, 4-2 record, 45 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings pitched.

Marcus Beatty, jr., Independence – Wamac West Player of the Year, IHSBCA 3A first-team all-district and third-team all-state, batted .512 with .596 on-base percentage, 43 hits, including eight doubles, four triples and three home runs, 22 RBIs, 36 runs and 28 stolen bases.

Sawyer Nauman, sr., Western Dubuque – First-team all-MVC Mississippi, IHSBCA 4A second-team all-district, batted .390 with .490 on-base percentage, 16 hits and 16 RBIs.

Jackson Nove, sr., Cedar Rapids Prairie – All-MVC honorable mention selection, no record in five starts, 2.67 ERA, 25 strikeouts in 21 innings pitched. University of Kentucky commit.

Collin Rickertsen, sr., Cedar Rapids Prairie – IHSBCA first-team all-district, second-team all-MVC Mississippi, 3-0 record, 0.51 ERA, 0.92 walks/hits per innings pitched.