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Leagues  | Story  | 4/4/2023

Iowa Spring League Notebook: Week 1

Photo: Maddux Lessard (Perfect Game)
Iowa Select 2026 Scout kicked off their weekend with a hot start beating Gamers Academy 2025 by the final score of 9-1. Brooks McCarty (2026, Orange City, Iowa) got the start on the mound and showed off his two-way upside. The left-handed pitcher used a belt-high leg kick and short stride before a longer arm action and three- quarter arm slot. McCarty impressed with the fastball that sat around 80 and topped out at 82. He also showed the ability to make hitters miss with his breaking ball with good 1-7 shape and that froze hitters that led to him racking up five strikeouts to one hit in 2.2 innings pitched. At the plate McCarty, a right-handed hitter, starts with a wide base and high hands before a small toe-tap. He shows quick hands and an even bat path through the zone and keeps the barrel in the zone well through contact. McCarty ended the weekend 2-5 with a double and a home run. He showed good middle-of-the-order hitting upside, driving in six runs during the weekend. McCarty also showed good plate discipline working two walks. He has a well-built 5-foot-10, 150-pound frame that projects well moving forward. McCarty was a standout on both sides of the ball and is a player that will be exciting to follow all Spring League.  

Tyler Welch (2023, Davenport, Iowa) put on a pitching display during his three inning start for the Iowa Select 2023 Scout team. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound right-handed pitcher uses a slow belt-high leg kick before working downhill with a good arm whip from the three- quarter arm slot. Welch was able to show off a dominant and overpowering fastball that topped out at 89 and sat around 86 during the start. Welch also was able to mix in a good 11-5 shaped slider that was able to play well in and outside of the zone. Welch attacked hitters in the zone and competed well in the strike zone, only allowing one walk. He was also able to miss the bat and produce weak contact, collecting five strikeouts and only allowing one hit. Welch looks primed to continue to be a must watch every weekend this Spring League. Walters State Community College commit.  



Maddux Frese (2023, Norway, Iowa) continues to show off his high ceiling leading the Iowa Select 2023 Scout offense during their 10-1 win. Frese showed off his leadoff hitting skills collecting three hits, including two doubles and driving in three of the runs while coming around to score two runs himself. He starts with a slightly wide base, high hands before a high leg-kick and back-side rotation generates power as the hands get the barrel to the ball. Frese uses an even swing path with a line drive approach and shows the ability to drive the ball to all fields. Frese also impresses on the bases with good speed and the ability to take an extra ninety feet. Southeastern commit.  

Rowan Donels (2023, Cedar Rapids, Iowa) got Kennedy High School started during their opening Spring League game against Iowa Select 2023 Patterson. Donels used a letter-high leg kick before working down the mound with a high three- quarters arm slot. Donels showed off his overwhelming fastball that peaked at 90 and averaged 87 during his two innings of work. He also mixed in an 11-5 slider with sharp bite and was able to generate swings and misses with it, ending the outing with five strikeouts. Donels also impressed with aggressive pitching to the inside part of the plate before snapping the slider low and away to right-handed hitters. As the Spring League continues, watch for him to continue to improve upon the control of the mix as he only allowed one hit and walk. Donels has a lanky 6-foot-5, 204-pound frame that projects well going forward. Iowa commit. 

Ryan Drumm (2023, Madison, Wisc.) got off to a hot start this Spring League and showed off his upside as a leadoff hitter. He got the Iowa Select 2023 Scout team’s offense rolling going 4-for-6 and getting on base seven times during his 10 plate appearances during the weekend. Drumm has a well-built 5-foot-11, 195-pound frame that shows some strength at present. In the box, Drumm, a right-handed hitter, starts with an even and square stance with low hands before a low toe-tap and back side rotation connects to the upper body and hands for an even bat path. He has a compact swing with good bat speed. Drumm shows good bat-to-ball skills with a line drive approach. Drumm and the Iowa Select 2023 Scout team will look to continue to build off their hot start and carry it over to next week. Butler commit.  

Joshua Loren (2023, North Liberty, Iowa) continued Iowa Select 2023 Scout’s hot start on the mound working three no-hit innings on the mound. He used a belt-high leg kick before working downhill on the mound well with a high three- quarters arm slot. Loren showed off the fastball that was 78-82 that he was able to fill counts up with early in at-bats. Once he was ahead of hitters he mixed in a good curveball with 1-7 shape that worked well out of the zone inducing swing and misses, leading him to collect six strikeouts during the start. Loren impressed with his pitchability and feel on the mound. He has a lanky 6-foot-2, 165-pound frame that can continue to develop and shows more velocity in the tank. Kirkwood commit.   

Ian Dittmer (2023, Eldridge, Iowa) showed off his two-way upside, getting off to a fast start this Spring League for Pleasant Valley 23/24. On the mound, Dittmer used a chest-high leg kick and a high three- quarters arm slot to go 1.2 innings in relief. He kept his throwing arm pinned behind his back before delivering the ball with a good arm swing. Dittmer used the fastball, 76-80 and topped at 82, to attack hitters and also showed the ability to elevate it above the barrel to get swings and misses. He also mixed in a good curveball with 12-6 shape that was able to disrupt hitters en route to totalling three strikeouts. At the plate the right-handed hitter showed prowess with the bat collecting four hits, including three doubles and driving in four runs. Dittmer showed the ability to work at-bats ending the first weekend without a single strikeout and working two walks. He has a well-built 6-foot-1, 210-pound frame that projects for more power. Southwest Tennessee Community College commit.  

Aiden O’Donnell (2023, Bettendorf, Iowa) got Pleasant Valley 23/24 rolling on the mound during his 2.2 inning start. O’Donnell used a belt-high leg kick to work downhill on the mound with a whippy three- quarter arm slot. He was able to repeat the delivery well. He showed off a dominant fastball that reached up to 89 mph and was 86 throughout the appearance. O’Donnell also mixed in a good curveball with 12-6 shape that he was able to spin for strikes before elevating fastballs out of the zones to get chases. O’Donnell was able to challenge hitters in the zone and get them to expand late in counts. He used the mix well leading to him preventing any hits and collecting six strikeouts. He has a compact 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame with long levers that can still mature and add velocity. O’Donnell is definitely a player to keep a close eye on this Spring League. Illinois commit.  

Ike Swanson (2023, Bettendorf, Iowa) entered this Spring League swinging a hot bat. Through the opening weekend he is 5-9 with a double and triple while also driving in three runs for Pleasant Valley 23/24. Swanson starts with a wide base and high hands before shifting his weight back with a small toe tap and unleashing his hands and the barrel at the ball with good intent. He has good connectivity through a simple swing that has some uphill plane. He shows good strength at present in his compact 5-foot-11, 175-pound frame. Swanson shows good middle-of-the-order hitting potential with more power upside as strength is added to the frame. Luther commit.  

Mack Ortner (2023, Waterloo, Iowa) helped Marion High School get off to a quick start this weekend during his two inning one hit start. He used a chest-high leg kick and a slow stride before delivering from a three- quarters arm slot and good arm swing. He was able to keep his extra large 6-foot-3, 265-pound frame compact and coiled during the delivery before transferring momentum up to his right arm. Ortner used the fastball that was 81-85 and reached 86 to get ahead of hitters. Then mixed in a 12-6 shaped curveball with late drop that allowed him to pick up four strikeouts. Ortner was able to challenge hitters in the zone and ended the appearance without allowing a single walk. Iowa Western Community College commit.  

Carsen Williams (2023, Bettendorf, Iowa) showed off his high ceiling as a leadoff hitter for Pleasant Valley 23/24. Williams was able to consistently get on base, ending the weekend with a .545 OBP, and when he got on base he showed good base running IQ coming around to score seven runs for his team. Williams also impressed with the bat ending 5-10 with a triple. He starts with an inverted front toe before quickly turning the foot, engaging the lower half and letting the hands get the barrel to the ball with some bat speed. Williams also showed good feel for the barrel making consistent contact with the ability to work both gaps and has the speed to stretch plays. He has a thin 5-foot-11, 155-pound frame with room to add and with some more gap-to-gap power available. Williams is definitely a player to keep an eye on during this Spring.  

Bryce Pauly (2026, Davenport, Iowa) continues to show his all-around two-way upside this Spring League for Davenport North High School against Linn-Mar High School. On the mound Pauly started with a belt-high leg kick before working down from the mound with a low three- quarters arm slot and above average arm swing. He showed off an above average fastball for the age running it up 80-84 and peaking at 86 mph. He also flashed a developing curveball with some 12/6 bite. Pauly attacked hitters with the mix recording seven strikeouts and only allowing one walk. As the Spring League continues, watch for the control to improve as he was a bit erratic around the zone allowing a couple of hit batsmen. At the plate Pauly shows big tools with a disciplined approach working long at-bats and collecting two walks and a double in the game. As his young 6-foot-1, 170-pound frame continues to add strength and mature with his advanced barrel control he should consistently show off his big-time power potential. Pauly will continue to be a must watch player this Spring.  

Klayton Bolkema (2024, Davenport, Iowa) showed off his above average strength and middle-of-the-order hitting potential for Davenport North High School against Linn-Mar High School. He went 2-2 with a double and drove in three runs. The left-handed hitter starts with a slightly wide stance and high hands before a low toe tap and engaging the lower half. He has an uphill plane in the swing with good bat speed and gets good extension through the contact point.  Bolkema has a compact 5-foot-10, 255-pound frame with good connectivity to his strong lower half and above average barrel control. He also showed that he moves well for his size, scoring on a wild pitch. Texas commit.  

Jackson Mishler (2024, Cedar Rapids, Iowa) showed good upside on the mound during his outing for Linn-Mar High School, going two innings of no-hit baseball. He used a belt-high leg kick and a short stride from the mound before a quick arm swing delivered the ball from a high three-quarters arm slot. Mishler used the fastball, sat around 80 and topped out at 83, and repeated the arm swing well with the curveball that showed 11-5 shape that he was able to spin for strikes early in counts. He used the mix to punch out two hitters and showed good pitchability. As the spring continues, the release point should stabilize and the control should improve to cut down on the five walks he allowed. Mishler has a lanky 6-foot, 160-pound frame with a controlled delivery and good arm speed. The velocity should continue to climb as the frame matures and the control will improve as the Spring continues and he finds the release point. Mishler shows a ton of upside on the mound with good pitchability and will be a player to follow closely as the Spring League continues.  

–Marcus Thomas 

Jaxton Schroeder (2025, Cedar Rapids, Iowa) got off to a flaming hot start this spring. He has recorded four triples and three walks in just three games. He has a tall stance with a big load and is able to recognize pitches early. Schroeder will be walking into next weekend with a .714 BA and a 2.657 OPS. The most intriguing part about this young player is his athletic ability at his size. Standing at 6-foot-5 200-pounds at the age of 16, he has been spraying the ball all over the field. He has shown great leadership skills in the on-deck circle and in the dugout. Overall one of the most intriguing prospects in the league so far. 

Reed Strohmeyer (2025, Asbury, Iowa) shows his athletic capability in every aspect of his game. Strohmeyer has a long, lean 6-foot-1 160-pound frame that is very projectable. In the box he has a tall, loose stance with a short leg kick. Able to get his barrel to every part of the zone. Strohmeyer went 3-9 this weekend adding a triple in his last at bat. Going to be a must-watch player going forward.  

Brady Andrews (2026, Johnston, Iowa) proved why he is the #1 ranked right-hander in the state for the class of ‘26. Andrews threw three innings, collected four strikeouts and zero walks. Fastball sat at 77-83 mph and Andrews looked composed and mature beyond his age on the bump. He repeats his mechanics well, has a strong leg kick and delivers from a higher arm slot with a whippy arm action provides a lot of velocity. Andrews stands at 6-foot, 165-pounds with plenty of room to grow. 

Garrett Luett (2026, Council Bluffs, Iowa) has as smooth of a left-handed stroke as they come. Luett stands at 6-foot 3, 185-pounds and is an intimidating figure coming up to the plate. He looks very mature in the box and has polished mechanics throughout his swing. A strong lower half combined with elite level bat speed and balance throughout. Luett finished his weekend with four huge triples and is coming into next weekend with a .333 batting average. On the bump Luett went 2.2 innings, racked up three strikeouts and zero earned runs. Luett is primarily a shortstop and the fourth ranked player in his class for the state of Iowa, committed to the University of Iowa. Luett continues to trend in the right direction every time he steps on the field. 

Tate Proskovec (2025, Cedar Rapids, Iowa) is a legit 6-foot-3, 180-pound right handed pitcher. Proskovec worked himself out of a couple jams this weekend showcasing his fastball that sat around 80-85 mph, topping 87. I expect this number to climb as the Spring moves along. Proskovec is a downhill, over the top, swing and miss pitcher. He overpowers hitters early and pounds the zone with his fastball. He was also able to flash his breaking ball later in at bats for swings and misses. As we get later into the Spring League I expect Proskovec to grow in every way. He has a good feel for his pitches already and as his arm gets more into shape he will be able to repeat and polish his mechanics. A very projectable prospect going forward. Proskovec threw three innings, collected six strikeouts, one walk, and zero earned runs.  

Caiden Buonadonna (2025, Cedar Rapids, Iowa) was pitching like it's the middle of summer here in Iowa. Buonadonna is a lefty and was absolutely carving Sunday morning with six strikeouts in just two innings of work. He was sitting 79-82 mph with his fastball and flashed an 83. He also has a 1-7 shaped curveball that he was able to throw for strikes and freeze hitters. Good athletic motions on the mound. Able to repeat his mechanics well. Strong stride allows the rest of his body to trail behind and give him good velocity. Interesting prospect to keep an eye on as the Spring progresses.  

Maddux Lessard (2027, Muskego, Wisc.) had a huge weekend batting .571, with four doubles and a triple. To add on to it, he added five walks and five stolen bases to his line. Lessard has a lower, wide stance with a big leg kick and gets plenty of forward momentum during his swing. Has elite barrel control, gets good lift on balls and has enough strength to place them over outfielders heads. At just 14 years old he stands at 6-foot 180-pounds and is primarily a catcher. Lessard is playing above his age group and proving each game why he belongs. Has extreme potential to be great and is primed to have a great Spring for Iowa Select 2026 Scout.  

Dylan Mangler (2024, Maquoketa, Iowa) made an impressive Spring League debut by throwing four innings only surrendering two hits while collecting five strikeouts. Mangler is a long and lanky right-hander that stands at 6-foot-5, 165 pounds. Gets downhill quick, over the top arm action that allows him to be deceptive, good at hiding the ball until delivery. Very projectable arm, lots of strength to be added and used in the lower half. Plenty of velocity to be unlocked throughout the Spring and into the summer.  

–Aiden Moeller 
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