Here are 15 Iowa City-area high school baseball players to watch during the 2024 season

The end of the school year marks the start of the high school baseball season in Iowa and there are several players in the Iowa City area ready to make a splash for their respective teams during the 2024 season.

Last season, Iowa City High and Liberty both made the Class 4A state quarterfinals. Clear Creek Amana, Iowa City West, Regina Catholic and Solon came up short in regional competition.

Here are some players who hope to help guide their team to a better position this season.

Players are listed in alphabetical order by last name.

Jack Clark, Sr., Regina Catholic

In 34 starts, Clark earned 28 hits last season—the second-most among returnees and one behind the No. 1 spot. He had 22 RBIs and his slugging percentage (.478) was ranked third on the team.

Cooper Hughes, Jr., Liberty

Hughes was a productive player for a Liberty baseball team that made the state quarterfinals last season. He ranked second in hits (36), RBIs (22) and plate appearances (127).

Jacob Koch, Sr., Iowa City West

Koch proved to be a reliable player, playing in all 40 games for the Trojans. He’s the top returnee with the most hits (39) and RBIs (22).

Zach Logsdon, Sr., Iowa City West

Logdson was the team leader in RBIs (27) for the Iowa City West boys baseball team in 2023. He earned 32 hits in 35 starts for the Trojans as a junior.

Jake Mitchell, Sr., Iowa City High

Mitchell made the most out of his time in the Iowa City High lineup as a junior in 2023. In 39 starts, he ranked fourth in hits (31) and RBIs (17). He also racked up 34 runs and nine stolen bases for the Little Hawks. Mitchell went 2-1 as a pitcher.

Maclane Morgan, Jr., Clear Creek Amana

On a team full of underclassmen, Morgan proved to be one of the top contributors for CCA as a sophomore last season. His 38 hits in 33 games were the most on the team. His batting average (.404) was the second-most on the squad. He also had 20 RBIs to help the Clippers’ offense.

Carsen Newton, Sr., Iowa City High

Newton was a key piece for Iowa City High baseball, a program that made the state quarterfinals last season. In 37 games as a junior, he earned the second most runs (32) and earned 27 hits while at bat. He was the Little Hawks’ most aggressive base runner with 26 stolen bases on 30 attempts.

Connor Nicpon, Jr., Regina Catholic

Playing in all 34 games for the Regals, Nicpon proved to be the top underclassman as a sophomore last season. He earned 29 hits, the most among all returnees. He also had 28 runs and made the most appearances at the plate (110).

Kaden Phan, Jr., Clear Creek Amana

Phan made a huge leap during his sophomore season with the CCA baseball team. More opportunities meant better results for Phan, who started in 30 games for the Clippers as a sophomore. He earned 36 hits, and his slugging percentage (.561) is the second-best among all returnees.

Dominic Salibi, Jr., Iowa City High

Salibi had a strong sophomore campaign for the Little Hawks. In his first season with the team, he tallied three home runs and 43 hits—the third-most on the squad. His 2023 slugging percentage (.706) leads all returnees. Salibi also scored 25 runs and stole 11 bases.

Ryan Schmierer, Sr., Liberty

Last season, Schmierer was tied for the second-most hits on the team (36) and had the second-best batting average (.375). He also had 15 RBIs and 11 stolen bases in 37 games.

Nolan Seagren, Jr., Solon

Seagren was a spark for Solon’s offense last season. Not only did he earn 38 hits as a junior, but he tallied 39 RBIs— the most on the team. His 28 runs marked the third-most for the Spartans.

Mason Waterbury, Jr., Liberty

Posting a 6-2 record, Waterbury proved to be an effective pitcher for the Lightning. In his first season with the varsity team, Waterbury pitched 41 innings and threw 671 pitches— the most on the team. He put up a 2.71 ERA and earned a team-high 44 strikeouts.

Brett White, Sr., Solon

White, a team captain, played a big role in the Spartans’ offense last season. In 42 games, he ranked first on the team in hits (58) and home runs (7). He also placed second in runs (61) and RBIs (38).

Talon Young, Jr., Iowa City High

With an 8-1 record last season, Young was a reliable pitcher for the Little Hawks. He led the team with 50 strikeouts while holding opponents to a .190 batting average. When he wasn’t pitching, Young earned 17 hits and one home run at the plate.

Marc Ray is the high school sports reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. He can be reached at MARay@gannett.com , and on X, formerly Twitter, at @themarcszn .

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Here are 15 Iowa City-area high school baseball players to watch during the 2024 season