Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

The high school baseball season is here.

Opening day of the 2024 season is Monday with teams around the state playing the first games of the season.

Once again some of the best baseball in the state will be played in the Your Prep Sports area.

Before the season gets rolling here is a list of nine Your Prep Sports area players to watch this summer.

Brett White

Senior, Solon

One of the top players in the state, White is coming off a junior season in which he ranked in the top five in Class 3A in 10 offensive categories.

A five-year starter, White was an all-state super team selection last season when he hit .460 with 25 extra-base hits including seven home runs.

The Baylor recruit scored a career-high 61 runs last season, stole 37 bases, drove in 38 runs, had a 1.387 OPS and led 3A with 36 walks.

White enters his final prep season a career .387 hitter with 16 career home runs, 157 RBI and 182 runs scored.

Talon Young

Junior, City High

After making a splash as a freshman two seasons ago Young emerged as the ace of the City High staff and one of the top pitchers in the state last season.

Young ranked in the top 10 in Class 4A in wins, ERA, WHIP and innings pitched last season during a breakthrough sophomore season.

The right-handed throwing Young was a second team all-state selection a year ago after going 8-1 with a .89 ERA and .91 WHIP while striking out 50 and walking 12 in 62 2/3 innings.

An all-around player Young also hit .224 last season with a home run and 15 RBI in 76 at bats.

Jacob Koch

Senior, West High

A three-year starter in the West High outfield Koch is coming off the best season of his career last summer when he set career-highs in hits and RBI.

Koch batted .300 last season as a junior with eight doubles, 17 runs scored and 22 RBI and also stole eight bases.

Look for a big final season from Koch has who has upped his production last season after batting .297 with 18 RBI two seasons ago as a sophomore.

Dominic Salibi

Junior, City High

One of the bigger breakthrough players of the year across the state last season Salibi emerged as one of the top up-and-coming infielders in the state.

Salibi led City High in batting average (.422), extra-base hits (19), doubles (12), triples (4) and slugging percentage (.706).

The smooth-fielding third baseman is a strong defender with position versatility and an excellent athlete and showed pop at the plate with three home runs, 25 runs scored and 34 RBI.

Mason Waterbury

Junior, Liberty High

The big lefty quickly emerged as a front of the rotation starter for the Lightning with a breakthrough sophomore season in which he led the Lightning in wins, innings pitched and strikeouts.

Waterbury went 6-2 with a 2.71 ERA and 1.26 WHIP last season in a team-high 41 1/3 innings pitched.

In his varsity debut season Waterbury fanned 44 while walking just 11 and should be in for a big junior season this summer.

Jake Mitchell

Senior, City High

An Iowa recruit, Mitchell filled a variety of roles last season for a City High team that won 30 games and advanced to the Class 4A state tournament.

Part of a deep and talented City High pitching staff, the left-handed throwing Mitchell went 2-1 with a 2.12 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 36 1/3 innings last season striking out 27 and walking 13.

Mitchell also hit .301 with a home run and 17 RBI and ranked second on the team in both runs (34) and walks (22).

Jack Clark

Senior, Regina

A stalwart behind the plate for the Regals since his freshman season Clark is coming off the best season of his career last summer.

Clark hit .304 with nine doubles, a home run and 22 RBI last season helping Regina to a 15-19 record and a spot in the Class 1A substate semifinal.

Last season Clark drew a team-high 27 walks and posted a .481 on-base and .478 slugging percentage.

Maclane Morgan

Junior, Clear Creek Amana

Morgan burst on to the scene last summer with a big-time sophomore season in which he earned third team Class 3A all-state honors after helping the Clippers to a 19-14 record.

The smooth-swinging Morgan hit .404 with 13 extra-base hits during his breakthrough sophomore season driving in 20 runs and scoring 23.

Morgan walked (17) more times than he struck out (15) as a first-year starter last summer and also stole eight bases in his debut season.

Max Lodge

Senior, West Branch

After a solid sophomore season Lodge emerged as one of the top hitters in the River Valley Conference last season with a breakthrough junior campaign.

The leader in the middle of the West Branch lineup Lodge will look to build on last season’s success that saw him earn second-team all-RVC South Division honors and lead the Bears in batting average, hits, doubles, RBI, walks and both on-base and slugging percentage.

Lodge batted .356 with a home run and 16 RBI last season and also scored 13 runs while posting a .466 on-base and .493 slugging percentage.

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