Perfect Game rates Iowa's incoming recruits

Perfect Game released their Top 500 Incoming College Freshman rankings today, as well as rankings for the top incoming freshman in each conference. With fall practice in full spring, we have been able to get a glimpse of some of the talent that Coach Rick Heller and his coaching staff have brought in.

The Hawkeyes represented well with three players landing in the Top 500 and nine landed in the Top 105 for the Big Ten. The new rankings take out all of the players that decided to start their pro baseball careers, so the new list is strictly players heading to college. Let’s take a look at where some of the players landed.

Brody Brecht would be rated as a 5 star if they gave out stars for baseball. Brecht was a projected top 5 round MLB Draft pick before deciding to come to Iowa. He was rated #30 overall before the MLB Draft and landed at #9 overall on the Incoming College Freshman rankings.

Brecht also was rated the #1 overall incoming freshman in the Big Ten. He is not participating in fall practice with the Hawkeyes, as he is with the Iowa Football team and sustained a thumb injury earlier this fall.

Marcus Morgan made a decent jump in the rankings, landing at #325 overall. He made his appearance at #14 in the Big Ten rankings. Morgan was talked about as a potential MLB Draft prospect, but ultimately decided on the college route. This fall Marcus has shown some improvement in fastball velocity, reaching 93-94 mph vs Mississauga.

Canadian Chas Wheatley was the third and final Hawkeye freshman to land in the overall Top 500, coming in at #396. He was also rated at #22 in the Big Ten rankings. Wheatley is an intriguing prospect because of his frame, standing at 6-7 and 205 lbs. So far this fall the fastball velocity has been 2-4 mph below what was expected, so that will be something to watch as practice progresses.

Sam Petersen was rated #41 in the Big Ten incoming freshman rankings and has been working out at 2B and SS so far this fall. He has shown the ability to power the ball into the deeper parts of the outfield.

Gehrig Christensen was talked about as a really good defensive catcher with a really strong arm by Coach Heller and Coach Sutherland, which helped him land at #52 in the Big Ten Rankings. Christensen is working in a currently crowded group behind the plate with four catchers vying for time, including returning senior Brett McCleary.

Mitch Wood comes in at #60 in the Big Ten rankings. He played SS in high school, but has worked exclusively at 3B this fall and Coach Sutherland says that is where he will likely stay. His most notable play so far this fall was a diving play to rob a Mississauga player of a hit in the Hawkeyes first fall game.

Weston Fulk is the second of a trio of Hawkeyes that landed in the 60s. Fulk comes in at #64 in the Big Ten rankings with the ability to pitch and hit at Iowa. Weston led the state in home runs as a senior at Ankeny and showed the Iowa coaching staff that he is a real candidate to play both ways. He has not gotten a ton of chances at the plate this fall, but has a couple of RBI hits.

Coy Sarsfield comes in at #65 in the Big Ten rankings, but is the biggest unknown of anyone in the freshman class. Sarsfield was regarded by Coach Sutherland as an A+ outfielder at Linn-Mar who can be a top of the order hitter, but he sustained a scary leg injury early his senior season that has kept him out of fall camp. We will be looking to get an update when I talk to the coaches post fall practice, but Sarsfield will likely have some ground to make up this winter. Still a very promising player if he can get fully healthy.

The final Hawkeye to land in the Big Ten Incoming Freshman rankings was Ben Wilmes. Wilmes landed at #70 in the Top 105 and has been working mostly at SS this fall for the Hawkeyes. Personally, I am really excited for Wilmes, as he reminds me of current Hawkeye Brendan Sher with his fielding ability.

If you want to learn more about the freshman class of baseball players, check out our article from earlier this summer on the newcomers - HawkeyeReport - A look at Iowa's baseball newcomers (rivals.com)

The article details every recruit and most of the transfers that join the Hawkeyes this season, as well as quotes from talking with Iowa assistant coach Marty Sutherland.