The 2026 high school baseball season is quickly approaching and as usual, excitement is building throughout Iowa. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across Iowa.

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in Carroll or Cedar Rapids at the IHSAA 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A State Tournaments, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality. We hope to shine a spotlight on all teams across the state as we preview individual teams across Iowa.

Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across the state.

Each week we will be releasing our Diamond Notes, covering all the bases across the state of Iowa.

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UPCOMING IOWA EVENTS

+ Click here for our full event schedule.

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Van Meter Bulldogs

High School: Van Meter
Head Coach: Trevor Swartz
Class: Class 2A
2025 Record (Finish): 25-9 (State Quarterfinal)

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TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

+ Brady Abram

+ Lexon Blevins

+ Austin Strong

+ Gabe Jones

+ Drew Rhodes

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ALUMNI IN COLLEGE

+ Cole Moore - Iowa

+ Tate Jones - NICC

+ Austin Baumhover - St. Cloud State University

+ Rhett Pleggenkuhle - DMACC

+ Jack Pettit - St. Olaf College

+ Ganon Archer - Iowa

+ Reese Moore - South Carolina

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TEAM OUTLOOK

“We come into 2026 with a mixed group of kids who have multiple years of varsity experience and kids who have no varsity exposure yet. A couple position battles will shake themselves out within a large sophomore class. We will have arms on the mound to compete with anyone we play and expectations that match that. We look to continue on the established success of Van Meter baseball and grow it further. ”

– Trevor Swartz, head coach

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Find more information on the 2026 Van Meter program below:

+ Follow them on X: @VMBaseball2026
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Iowa 2026 HS Team Previews

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FOLLOW PREP BASEBALL IOWA THROUGHOUT THE SPRING

+ Prep Baseball Iowa on X
+ Prep Baseball Iowa on Instagram
+ Prep Baseball Iowa on Facebook

 

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