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Tournaments  | Story  | 4/27/2023

Iowa Spring League Notebook: Week 4

Perfect Game Staff
Tyler Welch (2023, Davenport, Iowa) came out of the pen with authority this weekend striking out the side in both innings pitched. Welch’s fastball was 83-87 topping out at 88. He also showcased a tight curveball with late action that he was able to get swings and misses on. Welch pounded the zone and worked with fast pace and efficiency. Welch is tall in his wind up, easy throughout with an over the top delivery. Good quick arm action was making it tough for hitters to time up in his innings on the mound. Welch seemed to find his groove right away and everything seemed to be clicking, he looked in complete control and didn't necessarily unlock all of his velocity. His delivery was subtle yet high effort and seemed to be a lot of upper body. As impressive as Welch is now, as days get warmer his potential to unlock his lower body more and put all the pieces together, he will be touching even higher numbers on the radar gun. After his performances so far this Spring, it is looking like it will be a great summer for Welch to look forward to. Walters State CC commit.

Sam George (2023, Bettendorf, Iowa), a senior southpaw hailing from Bettendorf, has been raising his stock big time this Spring. This weekend George’s line was three innings pitched, seven strikeouts and just two bases allowed. George has an impressive and very projectable frame at 6-foot-4, 190-pounds. Presents athletic motions on the mound, big time leg kick and a higher three-quarters arm slot on delivery. George featured a curveball as a nice option for a strikeout pitch dipping all the way down into the low 70’s. George gets a lot of momentum from his glove side and lower body that pulls him down the mound and he receives a lot of his velocity from those aspects. George was 80-84 in his appearance this weekend, he has been up to 88 earlier this Spring and has proven to be one of the most consistent and dominant pitchers we have seen in the league this year. Minnesota State commit.




Grant Mather (2024, Cedar Rapids, Iowa) steps on the mound with immediate presence. Standing at 6-foot-3, 195-pounds Mather starts his wind up with low hands and continues with a chest-high leg kick and has an easy delivery from a three-quarters arm slot. Gets downhill well with good arm action and has a very heavy fastball. Mather is coming off his best start of the Spring going four innings, collecting six strikeouts, only giving up just one hit and no walks. Mather was serving fastballs for a good portion of his pitches, he was sitting 82-84 throughout. He did flash a good curveball while ahead in counts and threw it with confidence. Over this Spring, Mather has an impressive 12 innings pitched, a zero earned runs, 14 strikeouts and just two walks.


Wrigley Matthys (2025, Davenport, Iowa) was on a tear this weekend proving to be one of the most impressive hitters in the league this year. Matthys showed his ability to spray the ball to all parts of the field with good power. This weekend Matthys walked away with four hits including two triples and two stolen bases. He shows great speed and hustle around the bases. Matthys starts narrow in the box with low hands and gets his front foot down early. He has good barrel control and gets good lift on balls. Matthys has good upside with great athletic ability and some power yet to be unlocked in his swing. He carries a hot bat going into next week and is a must-watch going forward.
 
Will Specht (2025, Dubuque, Iowa) had a productive weekend at the top of the lineup for Iowa Select 2025 Hummel. Specht added five hits to his line including a big double and triple. Specht bats from the left side and has a lean 5-foot-11, 160-pound frame with long levers. He keeps his swing simple, has great bat speed and barrel control. Specht has been consistent all Spring batting close to .500 out of the leadoff spot and shows tremendous potential with strength to be added. Specht will be a fun player to watch as he grows and matures.

Milo Kelley (2025, Davenport, Iowa) showcased some of his potential this weekend at the plate knocking in four runs with a double and a home run. Kelley has a strong 6-foot-1, 180-pound frame and uses it well. Looks very balanced at the plate; he has a standard step forward and does a good job of shifting his weight out of his load to his swing. He has a very polished swing, he is able to cover the whole zone and makes solid contact with most swings. Kelley has definitely been improving over the course of this Spring. He looks more on time and ultimately more comfortable at the plate. Kelley has already established himself as one of the most dangerous hitters in the state and has great upside based on strength and pure athletic ability. Missouri commit.

Jack Casey (2025, Hiawatha, Iowa) had himself a day at the plate racking up five hits, a double, four runs batted in and two stolen bases. Casey was batting in the middle of the order this weekend and outside of his impressive productivity he showcased a good selective approach at the plate, working long counts and finding his pitches. Casey starts in his stance with high hands, stays connected throughout and keeps it simple. Casey did a great job with sitting back on pitches and being able to drive them for extra bases. Casey is batting close to .450 this Spring and is showing no sign of letting that dip below what it is now.

-Aiden Moeller
 
Corrail Jackson (2023, Bartonville, Ill.) was a standout on the mound this past weekend, collecting six strikeouts during his three inning no-hit start. Jackson showed a solid three-pitch mix with a curveball that had 11-5 shape and a solid change-up. The fastball showed good life through the zone that allows it to play up in the zone well. Jackson has a high over-the-top release point with a deceptive and quick medium arm action that is difficult for hitters to time and pick up. Exciting player especially as control polishes and is able to lessen the margin of error on some non-competitive high fastballs. Mississippi Valley State commit.

Anthony Harrington (2026, Lost Nation, Iowa) continues to dominate on the mound going another three innings in a start this week spreading four hits across for only one earned run. He starts with a leg-kick that is slightly below the belt before a short arm action that hides the ball behind his head before whipping the arm through from a three-quarters slot. The fastball, 75-80, was his go-to pitch early in counts before he mixed in a good curveball that he controls well in the bottom half of the strike zone. The control impressed as he was able to collect six strikeouts to only a single walk during a chilly Spring morning. In the box he continued his hot hitting adding another three hits to his Spring League season.

Jaxton Schroeder (2025, Cedar Rapids, Iowa) impressed on the mound this week shutting down a hot offense during his three inning appearance. He starts with a belt-high leg kick before a medium stride and an inverted-W creates some arm whip. Schroeder used the fastball, 72-76, with a free and minimal effort at release. The long and thin 6-foot-5, 200-pound frame projects well and should have more velocity in the tank. He was able to manipulate spin and break on his two off-speed pitches, showing good drop for swing and miss out of zone on the curveball and late bite in the zone to get ahead in counts with the change-up. The left-hander showed good control of the mix collecting five strikeouts to zero walks allowed. Schroeder also impressed with the ability to limit hard contact only allowing a single hit. Schroeder has been impressive all Spring League on both ends of the ball and shows a good approach at the plate collecting three walks in seven plate appearances this week.

Tayvon Homolar (2024, Waterloo, Iowa) showed off good middle-of-the-order hitting potential for the Iowa Select 2023 Scout team having a solid all around game to open the day. He went 1-for-3, with two walks and scored two runs, as well as, driving in two RBI himself. Homolar starts with a narrow toe tap before striding out and getting a good lower half rotation before letting his present bat speed and barrel control get the barrel to the ball while remaining direct with his hands. He shows good power upside with present strength in frame. Homolar has a compact 5-foot-10, 190-pound frame. He also impresses with a solid approach at the plate with a feel for his strike zone working 10 walks to just two strikeouts so far this Spring League.

Maddux Lessard (2027, Muskego, Wisc.) continued his impressive play this weekend in an impromptu start for the Iowa Select 2023 Scout. He impressed with the willingness and the ability to play up a couple age groups and performed well in the game, going 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, two RBI, and two runs scored. Lessard is comfortable in the box and shows the ability to work solid at-bats against some of the top competition here at the Spring League. He uses a high leg kick before his quick hands whip the barrel through the zone with some uphill plane. Lessard also shows good extension in the swing with a long finish that wraps around his back. He has an athletic and extremely projectable 6-foot, 180-pound frame.

Evan Barr (2026, Bettendorf, Iowa) has been on a tear this week and during the entirety of the Spring League season, ending this weekend with 11 hits in 22 at-bats. He continued the pace this weekend collecting four hits in five at-bats including a home run over the left field wall. Barr uses a rocking toe tap before a compact swing with a slight uphill plane and is able to use the whole field. He has impressed with his ability to drive in runs collecting nine RBI through the first four weeks. Barr shows good bat-to-ball skills, from a thin 5-foot-11, 155-pound frame with room to fill, collecting his third three-hit game already during this Spring. He has also impressed with his approach at the plate, working counts until he can find a pitch to hit and making consistent hard contact, still yet to record a single strikeout in the box, while working five walks. Barr shows all the makings of a well-rounded hitter that can do a little bit of everything in the box and is a prospect to keep an eye on going forward.
 

Lincoln Berding (2026, Mason City, Iowa) was one of the more intriguing players to take the mound this weekend, showing some good upside in an inconsistent outing. Berding starts from a short toe tap stride from the mound before a short arm action that has some deception and keeps the ball behind his head well. He primarily used the fastball that he was able to change velocity with topping out at 79 and averaging 73 with some sink, he also mixed in a good slider with wipeout traits on nasty 10-4 break and good horizontal bite. Berding flashed a good arm whip and tight spin on his pitches. He showed good swing and miss upside with an impressive four strikeouts. Berding only allowed a single hit and walk during his one inning appearance. Had some issues with the control and as he fell behind in counts lost some conviction in the fastball and started removing velocity in an effort to get in the zone. As the mechanics polish and control improves it will be interesting to watch to see how he is able to attack hitters going forward. He has a lanky 6-foot-2, 170-pound frame that as it fills will add more consistent velocity.

-Marcus Thomas
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