If you blinked, you may have missed that we’re already in the thick of the 2026 Iowa high school baseball season.
The state tournament is just weeks away, running from July 20-24 in Cedar Rapids for Classes 4A and 3A and Carroll for Classes 2A and 1A. We’re seeing some outstanding seasons and individual performances across the state that need to be highlighted.
Here’s a look at 15 players putting together Player of the Year-worthy numbers midway through the 2026 campaign.
Stats from gobound.com as of June 26. Athletes are in alphabetical order by last name.
George Blake, Jr., Indianola
Indianola is off to a hot start, with Blake being a large reason why. He owns a .467 batting average, five home runs and 28 RBIs. He is also in the pitching rotation, currently holding a 2.00 ERA with 44 strikeouts.
Brooks Bond, Soph., Lewis Central
Bond’s seven home runs are a high mark in Class 4A, but his power is paired with great contact to get on base as well. He owns a .521 batting average and has driven in 29 runs.
Ty Donels, Sr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy
The Cougars are looking like state title contenders, with Donels leading the way in his final high school campaign. His .522 batting average is second best in Class 4A, to go along with 20 RBIs, 26 walks drawn and 14 stolen bases.
Tyler Etten, Sr., Urbandale
The state’s pitching wins leader, Etten is propelling the J-Hawks to one of their best seasons in recent memory. His nine wins are the most in Iowa, with just one loss and a 1.57 ERA.
Aiden Frey, Jr., Roland-Story
With 45 stolen bases, Frey is Iowa’s stolen base leader. He also owns a .447 batting average, three home runs and has posted 25 RBIs to make Roland-Story one of the stories of the summer with a 27-1 record.
Cal Jepsen, Sr., Sioux City East
The Black Raiders have several players worthy of this list, but we’ll stick with Jepsen. He has a .510 batting average, five home runs, 37 RBIs and 26 stolen bases on the season. Behind him and several other stars on the roster, Sioux City East is 32-1 and an early state title favorite.
Judd Jirovsky, Sr., Grundy Center
There comes a point where it just becomes unfair how good Jirovsky is… at every sport. The multi-sport star owns a .600 batting average, the fourth-best in Iowa regardless of class. If that weren’t enough, he also carries a 0.42 ERA, 6-0 record and 56 strikeouts on the mound.
Kamden Jorgensen, Sr., Saydel
Iowa’s 2025 home run king is back for more. His eight home runs are just two off the state lead, but he’s also made a point to get on base alongside his power with a .571 batting average.
Tru McBride, Jr., Fort Dodge
Speaking of batters who can crush the ball, McBride fits the bill. He has 10 home runs on the year for the Dodgers, along with 42 RBIs and a .419 batting average. Fort Dodge is 27-7 and shaping up to be a state championship contender in Class 4A.
Colton Moffit, Sr., Baxter
Moffit is tied as Iowa’s strikeout leader. He is the just one of two Iowans to have over 100 strikeouts this season (101), to go along with his 0.28 ERA and an 8-1 record on the mound.
Bryce Pauly, Sr., Davenport North
Nine home runs are stellar, but Pauly’s all-around hitting makes him special. He owns a .544 batting average, 34 runs batted in on a high-powered Davenport North squad.
JJ Phillips, Jr., Pleasantville
At 24-1, Pleasantville is rolling in Class 2A. Phillips is the catalyst with a class-leading seven home runs, as well as 48 RBIs and a .507 batting average.
Jacob Pierro, Soph., Wahlert Catholic
The Golden Eagles are state title contenders once again, with Pierro doing it on the mound and at the plate. He has recorded a .443 batting average so far with 27 RBIs and 28 walks. As a pitcher, he’s 3-1 and carries a 1.89 ERA.
Ryan Stedman, Sr., West Des Moines Valley
The future Hawkeye gets it done as a two-way star as well. He has seven home runs, 29 RBIs and a .315 batting average, along with a 0.59 ERA and 70 strikeouts. He’s averaging over 11 strikeouts per game.
Colton Wight, Sr., Martensdale St. Mary’s
Wight is arguably Class 1A’s top hitter, with his .578 batting average, eight home runs and 41 RBIs all ranking inside the top six or better within the class. Behind him, Martensdale St. Mary’s is 24-3 and a big-time state title favorite.
Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: 15 Iowa high school baseball midseason player of the year candidates
Reporting by Eli McKown, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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By Eli McKown, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
