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2025 Prep Baseball Iowa High School Team Previews: Volume 5

May 1, 2025
Rob Allison
Supervisor, Upper Midwest

Prep Baseball Iowa strives to be the most comprehensive source of player information across the state. Prep Baseball is the number one resource for high school baseball in each state that we cover through various events, boots-on-the-ground scouting staff, daily coverage, and multimedia platforms. Our multimedia platforms and events work together, creating each state's most potent high school baseball promotion source. While other organizations take a national approach, our goal is to become the authoritative voice on the ground level of each state.

As we prepare for the upcoming 2025 high school season, we will be taking a preseason glimpse at programs from around the state.

UNITY CHRISTIAN KNIGHTS

Head Coach: Skyler Wheeler (3 seasons, 51-42)

Class: Class 2A
Conference: Siouxland
2024 Record: 25-12 (State Qualifier) 
X: @UCKnightsBBall

Key Impact Players:

  • Braeden Bosma, 2025
  • Graden Van Essen, 2025
  • Jonah De Jong, 2026
  • Dylan Bosma, 2026

Key Underclass Players:

  • Adler Van Essen, 2027
  • Eli Ruschmann, 2027

Coach's Comment:
"We return most of our team from last year, but some injuries have hurt our depth both on the mound and in the field. We will play a very challenging schedule. We have some electricity on the mound as our core group has continued to grow and get stronger. At the plate we will have to elevate from the previous year. If we put it all together it will be a very fun summer." 

DAVENPORT NORTH WILDCATS

Head Coach: Colin Carstens (3 seasons, 61-51)

Class: Class 4A
Conference: Mississippi Athletic
2024 Record: 29-13 (Substate) 
X: @DNorthBaseball

Key Impact Players:

Coach's Comment:
"We have a great group of guys that love the game of baseball.  They have had a very good off-season and are ready to get things going this year.  We hope to continue building off of the success that we had last year and use that experience to help us throughout the season." 

KNOXVILLE PANTHERS

Head Coach: Turner DeVore (13 seasons, 189-194)

Class: Class 3A
Conference: South Central 
2024 Record: 16-18
X: @knoxvillebaseb1

Key Impact Players:

Key Underclass Players:

  • Roston McCarty

Coach's Comment:
"Last year we replaced almost our whole starting lineup. We got a lot better towards the end of the year. We are looking to use the momentum that we had at the end to get off to a good start." 

REMSEN ST. MARY'S HAWKS

Head Coach: Dean Harpenau (14 seasons, 499-177)

Class: Class 1A
Conference: War Eagle
2024 Record: 25-5 (State Runnerup)
X: None

Key Impact Players:

Coach's Comment:
"We have 8 starters back and looking to improve on last years run."

PLEASANTVILLE TROJANS

Head Coach: Luke Adreon (1st season)

Class: Class 2A
Conference: West Central 
2024 Record: 23-11 (State Qualifier)
X: @PvilleIAbasebal

Key Impact Players:

Key Underclass Players:

Coach's Comment:
"We return a group of young kids that have played a lot of innings for us the past couple seasons.  We are looking to lean on that experience and continue to grow as a team."

MOUNT VERNON MUSTANGS

Head Coach: Charles Chatman (4 seasons)

Class: Class 3A
Conference: WAMAC
2024 Record: 19-20
X: None

Key Impact Players:

Key Underclass Players:

Coach's Comment:
"The town of Mount Vernon will enjoy watching these boys represent them this summer."

CRESTON PANTHERS

Head Coach: Brandon Phipps (3 seasons, 52-49)

Class: Class 3A
Conference: Hawkeye 10
2024 Record: 24-11 (District Finalist)
X: @BaseballCreston

Key Impact Players:

Key Underclass Players:

Coach's Comment:
"This year we are looking to build off last years momentum. We bring back our #1 pitcher in Parker Varner who threw 69 innings for us and going 9-1, 3rd team All State last year as well as our catcher Tom Mikkelsen, who hit .386 as a freshman. Last year we were able to sprinkle in a variety of different lineups so several of our soon to be seniors have had varsity experience. We have are going to rely heavily our senior leadership. With all being said, we have several guys in the mix to get a lot of varsity time. Players are going to need to step up this season, though I feel confident with the group that we have returning despite graduating several nice players from last year's team."

VAN METER BULLDOGS

Head Coach: Eben Baumhover (6 seasons, 181-29-1)

Class: Class 2A
Conference: West Central Activities
2024 Record: 29-7 (District Finalist)
X: @VanMeterDawgs

Key Impact Players:

Key Underclass Players:

Coach's Comment:
"Coming into 2025 we have a strong group of contributors back from the last couple seasons. We are especially strong and with depth on the mound. We have a few positional pieces to iron out and quality options to choose from. We feel we have a really strong chance to make a deep run with the arms we have in the 2A landscape."

CHARLES CITY COMETS

Head Coach: Tyler Downing (12 seasons, 140-184)

Class: Class 3A
Conference: Northeast Iowa
2024 Record: 3-24
X: @CCCometBaseball

Key Impact Players:

Key Underclass Players:

  • Ethan Hadley

Coach's Comment:
"We have some inexperience as a whole group. Our pitching was our weakness last year, we struggled to throw strikes consistently. The guys have worked hard so far to be more consistent with their mechanics."

DOWLING CATHOLIC MAROONS

Head Coach: Jarek Sefrit (1st season)

Class: Class 4A
Conference: CIML
2024 Record: 25-16 (State Runner-Up)
X: @DowlingBaseball

Key Impact Players:

Key Underclass Players:

Coach's Comment:
"Naturally, we lost a couple great players from 2024, but we bring back a solid core of returners that made big plays in our run to the championship last year.  It will be exciting for them, and for our team, to see them step up into major roles and leadership positions this year.  The junior class has some good complementary pieces and have mixed in well.  There are a lot of great teams in 4A and in the CIML and we are looking forward to the challenge!"

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