Undrafted out of Iowa, Johnston's Jack Dreyer is on the cusp of the major leagues

When Jack Dreyer signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in August of 2021, the former Johnston High School and University of Iowa baseball player got the opportunity he was looking for − and a new nickname.

"UFDA."

It’s an abbreviation for undrafted free agent. All the players in the Dodgers organization who didn't hear their name called during the draft adopted that moniker.

“There’s kind of that little connection that we share that way,” Dreyer said.

Dreyer, though, is in a league of his own. The Iowa native is one of the few UFDAs knocking on the door of the major leagues. After spending most of his career battling injuries, the ex-Dragons star player is now in Triple-A and just one step away from his first MLB call-up. It could happen soon, with the left-handed reliever now healthy and possibly throwing better than he ever has.

“He’s the guy that’s going to prove them wrong,” said Peyton Williams, one of Dreyer’s old teammates.

In a lot of ways, he already has.

Dreyer shows off his potential but struggles to stay healthy

Steve Dreyer saw the potential in his son at an early age. Steve Dreyer, who pitched parts of two seasons in the big leagues with the Texas Rangers, liked how Jack Dreyer threw, even as young as 3 years old. The father saw other intangibles develop as his son got older. He was athletic and smart, and by the time he got to high school he was making in-game adjustments that allowed him to succeed.

“Those are all things that have to be there if anyone wants to play professionally,” Steve Dreyer said. “I saw those in him as he grew up.”

It was hard to miss as Jack Dreyer got older. He used those special skills to become one of the best pitchers in the state. Dreyer won 23 games at Johnston and posted a 1.13 ERA with 195 strikeouts across 149 innings in his career. Dreyer, who was ranked as the 199th-best prospect in the nation by Prep Baseball Report, heard from a few MLB teams that were interested in drafting him. But he was determined to go to college, get his education, develop as a pitcher and play for the Hawkeyes.

He went unselected.

Besides, there was still work to be done after missing substantial time during his junior season at Johnston with a shoulder injury. But once he got to Iowa, the injury bug bit again. Dreyer arrived on campus as a huge pickup for the Hawkeyes but rarely stayed healthy. He dealt with a back injury and a shoulder injury. He said the only time he was truly healthy was his freshman season.

Those injuries kept Dreyer from reaching his potential, making just six combined appearances in 2018 and 2019. Iowa coach Rick Heller can't help but think what could have been had the pitcher been able to stay healthy.

"Jack was kind of snakebit here at Iowa," Heller said.

Things got even worse for Dreyer, who decided to pass on the shortened MLB Draft in 2020. The annual event was limited to just five rounds because of the pandemic. Dreyer watched other players sign for far below their actual value, so he decided to bet on himself and return to Iowa for another season. But the decision backfired when he was forced to miss the entire year after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Another injury cost him another valuable season.

"It was very difficult," Dreyer said.

He'd impressed Heller with his makeup, mentality and command when he was healthy and had shown signs of his potential during the few outings he'd put together with the Hawkeyes. But because of the injury and its timing, team after team passed on Dreyer in the 2021 draft.

When it was all said and done, he went undrafted.

"It's difficult for teams to take a chance on a guy who is in the middle of rehabbing," Dreyer said.

Dreyer could have returned to college and tried to pitch again. Instead, he opted to try to sign as an UDFA. Ten days passed before he finally inked a deal with the Dodgers. Dreyer said he talked to several teams but liked what he'd learned about the Dodgers and how they treated their players.

In the end, he was happy to have a team that wanted him.

"We weren't even sure that would happen," his dad said.

It has paid off for everyone.

Jack Dreyer is following in the footsteps of his father

Steve Dreyer can't help but get sentimental when he thinks about how his son's professional career has gone so far. After making his pro debut in 2022, Jack Dreyer compiled a 1.50 ERA in 12 outings. During the 2022 season, he went 5-0 with a 2.30 ERA with High-A Midland.

But what makes it so unique is the trajectory Dreyer finds himself on. He began the 2024 season in Double-A with Tulsa where he allowed just one unearned run in nine outings. That success led to a promotion to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Steve Dreyer played for the same two teams in 1993 before making his big-league debut. So his son is literally following in his footsteps.

“It’s just funny how that all has played out,” Steve Dreyer said.

While the Dreyer family isn’t focused on a call-up, one could be coming. He’s become a valuable part of Oklahoma City’s bullpen, tallying a 1.62 ERA in his first 14 outings in Triple-A. Opposing hitters are hitting just .226 against him and have struck out 23 times in his first 16 2/3 innings of work. The success has put him on the doorstep of the big leagues for the first time.

"He's had a lot of injuries that a lot of people would have easily given up and just said baseball wasn't for them and he's come back stronger every time," Williams, his former teammate, said. "It's just awesome to see him have the success he has."

Even with that success, he still flies under the radar and rarely pops up on top prospect lists. But that doesn't bother Dreyer, who is used to overcoming the odds. That's why he proudly calls himself an UFDA. It's a reminder of how far he's already come.

"It's just exciting to be able to go out there and show people, 'Hey I can do this often,'" Dreyer said. "I think it's important to know where you came from, remember where you came from and to always have some sort of chip on your shoulder because that reminds you of who you are."

Tommy Birch, the Register's sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He's the 2018, 2020 and 2023 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Undrafted out of Iowa, Johnston's Jack Dreyer is on the cusp of the major leagues