Program: Iowa Central
Head Coach: Eric Stein: 3rd year
NJCAA Region/Division: Region 11, DII
Email: [email protected]    
Twitter: ICCCBaseball  
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Iowa Central is coming off a remarkable 2025 campaign. The Tritons went 48-17, took home the Region 11 Championship, were North Plains District Champions, and placed top-4 at the DII World Series. Led by the NJCAA North Plains District Coach of the Year, Eric Stein, the Tritons will look to continue on this mark in search of a DII World Series victory. This will be easier said than done as the Tritons lose top-end arms in over 300 innings, as well as seven starters within the lineup, two being shortstop Cooper Nicholson, who left for North Carolina, and center fielder Cade Sears, who left early for Vanderbilt. While this might seem a step uphill battle, where the Tritons have always thrived is with depth within their roster. They still retain seven impact arms and five bats within the lineup, who all saw valuable playing time. Paired with other rising sophomores and incoming freshman, the Tritons look poised to maintain their dominance in Region 11.

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PITCHERS

The biggest question mark with this staff losing over 300 innings is who will take over the bulk of the load. Three of the top four innings eaters for the Tritons left, leaving a massive hole within the rotation. Despite this, a trio of sophomores has looked poised to take over after impressive freshman years, along with a strong fall campaign. Right-hander Carter Giesen and left-hander Maddux Gast bring the most experience back from the prior year. Giesen is working off a year where he tossed 63.1 innings to a 5.36 ERA with 82 strikeouts. The righty has shown a four-pitch mix this fall, able to miss and match effectively. The fastball has been up to 94 mph, sitting in the low 90s, as the other secondaries all sit in the low 80s. While Gast is coming off a season tossing 48 innings to a 5.25 ERA with 49 strikeouts. The lefty has been up to 90mph, with a changeup in the mid 80s, and a slider in the low 80s with sweeping tendencies. Then rounding out this trio is right-hander Isaiah Brennan. After a freshman year where he tossed only 19.1 innings to a 7.45 ERA with 19 strikeouts, Brennan has come into his own this fall, setting himself up as an impact arm within the rotation. The development has come quickly, as the fastball jumped up 4 mph from the year prior, now touching 95 mph. An electric arm that has been translating into in-game results this fall.

• SO. RHP Carter Giesen, 6-foot and 195, moved athletically downhill and pumped life into his fastball, which reached 92.5. He flashed two distinct breaking balls at 81–82, both of which found success, rounding out a strong look.

• So. RHP Isaiah Brennan (Iowa Central CC) is hard to miss on the mound, strong 6-foot-3, 202-pound frame with room to add a significant amount of strength/weight. Loud look early, showing upside swing-and-miss stuff with reaching 95 mph once sitting in the low-90s early with carry at the top of the zone, settled in in the upper-80s as the outing progressed. Mixed in a firmer breaking ball that he was able to locate in the zone and earned multiple swings-and-misses on the offering.

While those arms are set to manage a bulk of the innings, this Iowa Central staff still looks rich in depth. Two sophomore arms looking to build off strong freshman campaigns are right-handers Sean Stewart and Aiden Smith. Stewart comes with 21.2 innings under his belt with a 4.57 ERA and 25 strikeouts to 11 walks. The sinker sits in the upper 80s, touching 90mph with true sinker actions, while the secondaries work east to west in the low 80s. With Smith, he looks to build off the limited time he had last season, only tossing 10.1 innings, striking out 16 to 6 walks. The fastball has jumped up to 93 mph, a 3 mph jump from the year prior. Then incoming transfer from Saint. Leo, right-hander Maddox Sullivan, looks set to play a major role this season. The redshirt freshman has been up to 96 mph this fall, with three secondaries in the low-80s to follow. Rounding out this Tritons staff is freshman right-hander Ethan Biggar. The righty comes from South Dakota, showing a four-pitch mix, with the fastball up to 90 mph, curveball and slider sitting mid-70s, with a changeup sitting in the upper-70s. This staff is filled with exciting arms that look to make their own impact as we head into the Spring.

Maddox Sullivan from: 9/14/25

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TWO-WAY

While both sides of the ball for Iowa Central look to lean on returners, there is one freshman who has the ability to make his impact known on both sides of the ball. 1B/LHP Drew Fitzpatrick out of Waukee Northwest is a name we have been following since his early high school days. More known for his bat, look out for Fitzpatrick to make a true impact on that side of the ball. The left-hander posted EVs up to 104.6 mph, averaging 97.5 mph. A bat that, throughout his career, has been able to consistently square the ball up. Now with the arm, it's less likely you see him make a true impact there with the fastball up in the mid 80s. Yet the lefty did toss 37 innings to a 2.27 ERA, striking out 58 in his senior year.

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OFFENSE

Much is the same story with this lineup as it is with the rotation, with a different twist. The Tritons will be looking to replace high-end talent at the top of the order and one of the most dominant bats in all of Region 11. With news breaking that Cade Sears would be leaving early for Vanderbilt, this left the lineup with a bigger hill to climb. Yet, as said, it is much of the same with the rotation as the Tritons are once again rich in depth. Despite losing seven starters, this lineup returns five impact bats looking to take major steps heading into the spring. Headlining this group is sophomore 1B/OF Sawyer Stein and red-shirt sophomore OF/INF Bryson Carpenter. Stein put together an outstanding freshman year, slashing .350/.475/.613, driving in 45, with nine homeruns. An impact bat that hasn't slowed down this fall, only looking to build off a monster freshman year. Right by his side is Carpenter, working off a year where he slashed .286/.404/.461, driving in 32, with five home runs, and 15 stolen bases. Continuing to show his development this fall, posting EVs up to 103.2 mph and a 6.65 60-time. Behind these two are a pair of bats looking to make their impact after a limited time last year. Sophomore OF Luke Sigwarth saw 73 at-bats, making the most of them, slashing .301/.454/.521, driving in 18, with four bombs. A name looking to cement his name this year as a name to know within the JUCO world. Then, behind him is red-shirt sophomore OF Jacob Coshenet. Looking to become a mainstay in the outfield after slashing .297/.449/.541 with two home runs in only 37 at-bats. Another promising return showing his development this fall, posting EVs up to 101.5 mph.

• RS SO. OF Bryson Carpenter produced one of the loudest swings of the day, starting his game with a home run. His swing begins with a controlled leg lift and finishes with violent rotation, a move that fueled a 103.2 max exit velocity at Iowa Central’s Scout Day and makes him a middle-of-the-order threat.

With these returners come two new faces in transfer sophomore George McIntyre and freshman Will Specht. McIntyre is an infielder transfer from NIACC, coming off a freshman year where he sent 15 over the fence while slashing .320/.406/.649, driving in 57, while stealing 16. An impact bat for the lineup who hasn't slowed down this fall. Then, freshman OF Will Specht comes from Dubuque Wahlert, a prospect we have been following for some time now. It’s an extremely athletic 5-foot-11, 180-pound build, able to run a 6.55 while posting EVs north of 100 mph. An exciting young bat that should add some energy to the lineup.

• SO. SS George McIntyre, all of 6-foot-4 and 225, passes the eye test and then some. He moves well for his size, running a 6.9, and showed lateral agility at third base. The bat carries impact with a 99 mph exit velocity, though barrel consistency remains the next step in his development.

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