2024 College Top 25 Preview: No. 20 Iowa
Image credit: Brody Brecht (Photo by Eddie Kelly / ProLook Photos)
Last season: 44-16 (15-8), lost in Terre Haute Regional
Final ranking: NR
Coach (record at school): Rick Heller (320-191, 10 seasons)
The good news: Iowa is coming off one of its best seasons in program history. The Hawkeyes matched a program record with 44 wins and reached the finals of the Terre Haute Regional before losing to host Indiana State. Now, the Hawkeyes enter 2024 with perhaps the biggest expectations in program history thanks to last year’s success and the impressive talent they’ve stockpiled. It starts on the mound, particularly with the one-two punch of junior righthanders Brody Brecht and Marcus Morgan. Brecht has arguably the best pure stuff in the country and Morgan isn’t far behind him. Both have struggled with control (the pair last year combined for 7.08 walks per nine innings and 28 wild pitches), but also miss a ton of bats (11.44 strikeouts per nine innings). If they can put it all together this year, they’ll be among the best handful of duos in the country. And Iowa’s pitching isn’t just down to them. Lefthander Cade Obermueller also has high-level stuff and will be ready for the rotation if he can harness his own command issues. Veteran Zach Voelker will anchor the bullpen, with newcomers Sam Hart (junior college) and Anthony Watts (Creighton) ready to step into the mix.
The bad news: Iowa last season hit 70 home runs and stole 102 bases, making the Hawkeyes one of 16 teams nationally with at least 70 home runs and 100 stolen bases. The speed is back in the Hawkeyes’ lineup, but they’ll have to find new sources of power after losing more than half of last year’s home runs. Outfielder Sam Petersen will lead the way for the lineup, and Iowa projects to start seven players who are in at least their third year of college baseball. Slugger Davis Cop, a transfer from Utah, will help provide pop, but Iowa may need to find new ways to create offense this season.
Player to know: Brody Brecht, SP. Brecht has one of the most powerful fastballs in the country, averaging more than 97 mph and topping out at 101. His slider is arguably even better and he had a whiff rate of 53%. If he can take a step forward with his control—he walked 7.13 batters per nine innings in 2023—he can be the best pitcher in the country. As it is, he’s electric.
Path to Omaha: Iowa hasn’t been to Omaha since 1972 and hasn’t won the regular season Big Ten title since 1990. The Hawkeyes are capable of achieving both of those milestones in 2024. To get to that level, they need their rotation to throw strikes more consistently. If Brecht, Morgan and Obermueller are able to take that step, they will be among the best rotations in the country. The offense doesn’t have the same star power, but an elite rotation combined with a veteran lineup that’s strong defensively (Iowa fielded .981 last season, 13th nationally) is the recipe for winning baseball, especially in June.
| Pos. | Name | Year | AVG | OBP | SLG | AB | HR | RBI |
| C | Cade Moss | Sr. | .261 | .356 | .321 | 165 | 0 | 22 |
| 1B | Blake Guerin | So. | .290 | .405 | .548 | 31 | 1 | 7 |
| 2B | Gable Mitchell | So. | .121 | .286 | .182 | 33 | 0 | 5 |
| 3B | Raider Tello | R-Jr. | .306 | .401 | .427 | 232 | 4 | 48 |
| SS | Michael Seegers | Sr. | .322 | .428 | .449 | 227 | 4 | 31 |
| OF | Kyle Huckstorf | R-Sr. | .285 | .390 | .483 | 207 | 6 | 54 |
| OF | Sam Petersen | Jr. | .319 | .449 | .584 | 166 | 11 | 47 |
| OF | Ben Wilmes | Jr. | .247 | .426 | .360 | 150 | 3 | 24 |
| DH | Davis Cop | Sr. | Transfer—Utah | |||||
| Pos. | Name | Class | W | L | ERA | IP | SO | SV |
| SP | Brody Brecht | Jr. | 5 | 2 | 3.74 | 77 | 109 | 0 |
| SP | Marcus Morgan | Jr. | 5 | 2 | 3.72 | 65 | 72 | 0 |
| SP | Cade Obermueller | So. | 2 | 1 | 4.91 | 22 | 36 | 1 |
| RP | Zach Voelker | R-Jr. | 4 | 1 | 6.18 | 44 | 32 | 1 |
| RP | Sam Hart | Jr. | Transfer—Indian Hills (Iowa) JC | |||||
| RP | Anthony Watts | So. | Transfer—Creighton |
