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Leagues  | Story  | 3/31/2025

Iowa Spring League Notebook: No. 1

Perfect Game Staff
Tyler Kotila

Jackson Hartzell (2025, Cedar Falls, Iowa) started off the 2025 PG Iowa Spring League with a bang, literally. Hartzell led off the first game of Spring League with a home run, belting a solo shot into the corn. He was able to show a ton of strength and feel to impact, driving the ball well on the day. As if the leadoff home run was not enough, Hartzell was able to pick up another one in Game 2, this time closing out the game. He hit his second home run of the game, walking it off to secure a win. The Upper Iowa commit had one heck of a start to the spring on Friday.
 

Fletcher Yates (2025, Cedar Falls, Iowa) kicked off the spring by making some noise. The big and physical right-hander was able to show the work that he put in this off-season with some quality refinements to the frame. He worked the 87-91 mph range on the fastball with good angle from the higher slot. The pitch had some running life, especially when he located it arm-side. He mixed in a low- to mid-70s breaking ball with straight depth to it. Showed 12-6 movement to the pitch with big depth. He also flashed the occasional changeup around 79-81 mph with good depth to it. He mixed the fastball and breaking ball in well. Yates put together a couple of good innings out of the bullpen to get it done for his Iowa Select squad. Kirkwood commit.

Foti Rigopoulos (2025, Dubuque, Iowa) had a nice “welcome to the spring” showing on Friday, getting things started for his Iowa Select Besler squad. He’s got an athletic and projectable 5-foot-11, 180-pound frame. Rigopoulos worked into the mid-80s on the mound, commanding the fastball well and filling the zone. He also showed a low- to mid-70s changeup with great fading depth. He also flashed a slider with good shape and depth to it. Rigopoulos put together a good start on the mound. He also gets it done at the plate. He shows a short stroke with quick hands and a feel to impact the ball well. He added a nice base knock on Friday as well. Rigopoulos is an Illinois commit. 

Benjamin Nichols (2026, Cedar Falls, Iowa) put together a really good outing on the mound this past Friday, getting the job done for his team. Nichols has a really long and lean 6-foot-6, 195-pound frame with long levers and room-to-keep filling out moving forward. He worked the 84-86 mph range with two, where he reached back and grabbed 89 mph. He threw from a higher, over-the-top release with plenty of whip working downhill. The fastball had plenty of carry and riding life to it. Showed good arm speed and a long & loose arm action through the back. He flashed a curveball in the mid-70s with an incredible 11-5 shape and depth. Put together a really good outing on the mound, filling the zone well and showing a lot of traits to like.
 

William Pierro (2025, Dubuque, Iowa) was really impressive in his brief outing on Friday. He took major strides on the mound. Pierro worked 90-93 mph on the fastball, spinning it above 2,500 RPMs with good carry to it. He settled at 88-92 mph but opened up with a loud 90-93 mph range. He also showed a curveball working 74-77 mph with spin above 2,500 RPMs and a ton of depth to it. He had a good feel to snap it off with an 11-5 bite to it. He also showed a changeup at 83 mph with a spin down into the 1,200s. Pierro has a really impressive arm action with a good feel to move downhill well. Pierro put together a quality outing, making some noise to start out the spring. Pierro is a St. Thomas commit.
 

Tucker Long (2026, Ottumwa, Iowa) took to the mound to start for his Gamers Select team. He’s got a lean and medium frame with some athleticism throughout. He had a deliberate delivery with some feel to make a good move down the slope. He worked 88-91 mph on the fastball with a good arm-side run and late life to it. He spun it above 2,100 RPMs. He also flashed a really good slider working 74-78 mph with spin above 2,200 RPMs. The breaker had great depth to it with a really high-tilt 10-4 shape to it. He showed the occasional changeup, working 79-82 mph with spin down into the 1,500s. Long worked around some trouble and finished off his inning with a nice PFP play on a chopper back to the mound. He also had a nice base knock later, showing a good left-handed swing with some looseness and feel to be on the barrel. Long is an Ole Miss commit. 

Drake Obermueller (2025, Iowa City, Iowa) came out and put together a really good outing for his Iowa Select City High squad. He pounded the zone, working 84-87 mph on the fastball, with quick and whippy arm action. He flashed the slider in the mix as well, with a good 10-4 shape and bite to it. He flipped the slider with ease, missing bats and pounding the zone. Worked the low- to mid-70s on the breaker. Obermueller has really taken some strides on the mound. He also got the job done at the plate with a short and compact stroke, being able to pick up a base knock and show a good feel for the barrel. Obermueller is a DMACC commit. 
 

Maddux Mueller (2026, Amana, Iowa) put together some good swings at the plate to kick off Spring League. He was able to find the barrel and drive the ball well, showing off his usual smooth left-handed stroke. He worked to all fields with a loose & balanced operation, driving the ball well all over the field. Mueller is uber-athletic and has really taken strides with the profile. He also got on the mound for his team and worked 80-84 mph on the fastball with good life to it from a high slot. Created some angle as well, pitching from an over-the-top release. He also showed a bigger curveball with 11-5 depth, working the 68-72 mph range. He also flashed a more 10-4 shaped slider in the 72-74 mph range as well. Mueller is currently uncommitted.
 

Collin McClintock (2026, Fairfax, Iowa) came on to work in relief after Mueller’s outing, and he was able to show that he’s taken some strides on the mound. McClintock has ticked up with the velocity, working the 80-85 mph range, grabbing one at 86 mph. He has a bigger breaking ball in the mix as well. But, truthfully, he worked all fastballs on Friday, pounding the zone and picking up punchouts left and right with his fastball. McClintock also got it done at the plate, picking up a base knock and showing off the smooth right-handed stroke. He continues to shine on both sides of the ball. McClintock is currently uncommitted.

Brandon Cummer (2026, Dubuque, Iowa) added a trio of hits on the day, Friday, finding barrels all day long. He was able to get the job done for his team at the plate with a really impressive left-handed stroke. Cummer has a compact frame and build with good strength throughout. He was able to turn on pitches on Friday, delivering the barrel well and hammering pitches, especially working pull-side. Used the whole field and legged out some extra-base hits as well. Cummer is currently uncommitted. 
 

Nolan Dittmer (2026, Walcott, Iowa) had an incredible day at the dish on Saturday, finding barrel after barrel after barrel. He’s a 6-foot-7, 215-pound frame and lean build with a massive frame. He’s got plenty of length throughout and room to keep adding to it and filling out moving forward. He was nearly on the barrel every single time he stepped in the box. Dittmer was able to consistently show off a smooth left-handed stroke. He was able to deliver the barrel well and get some loud impacts to all parts of the field. It was quite the day for Dittmer, who had 6 hits, including several extra-base hits. Dittmer is currently uncommitted.

Austin Goodrich (2025, Central City, Iowa) put together some really good swings on Saturday. He found the barrel often for his team, with a ton of athleticism and projection surrounding the profile. He’s got advanced bat-to-ball skills and a ton of feel to create barrel whip. He was on time often and able to drive the ball hard to all fields, but his best swings came working to the pull-side part of the field. He’s a corner infielder or outfielder, and he put together some really good swings on Saturday. Goodrich is a Northeast Iowa commit. 

- Tyler Kotila
 
Grady Frese (2026, Norway, Iowa) showed off a very impressive repertoire this past Saturday. The right-hander showed off big-time speed from behind the bump, clocking his fastball north of 85 going all the way to 87 mph. Alongside the fastball, his curveball came in at 71 mph, showing good depth to it. Frese stuck out multiple batters in his showing, truly putting himself out there as a top 500 uncommitted arm. He’s got some strength in his compact frame as well.

Jaydon Leonard (2027, Cedar Rapids, Iowa) showed up and showed out this past Saturday for his Iowa Select squad. The sophomore tallied three hits on the day, one of them being an extra-base knock which fell in for a double. The speed showed on the bases as Leonard also swiped two bags on the day. Leonard is already considered a top 20 player in the state of Iowa. There was plenty to like from the left-handed hitter, with some quality hits shown on Saturday.

Lewis Waterbury (2027, North Liberty, Iowa) really made some noise this past weekend to open up the Iowa Spring League, getting it done from both sides of the ball. Hitting-wise, he truly showed off an incredibly level swing with an amazing stride out of the box. He added a hit and showed good awareness in the box. In addition, the 6-foot-1 right-hander threw very well on the mound, with a fastball topping out at 83 mph and a filthy slider at 72 mph. The sophomore truly has a lot of upside on both sides of the field. 

- Jacob Zucker
 
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