The Des Moines Register has unveiled its 2026 All‑Iowa high school baseball teams, naming an Elite squad alongside four class‑based teams that reflect a season filled with first‑time state champions and surprising upsets.
Elite Team Selections
Selection of the teams relied heavily on season statistics and overall success, with the Register’s editorial board turning to the GoBound platform to verify the numbers that shaped the choices.
Among the standout performers, senior pitcher Ryan Stedman of West Des Moines Valley impressed with 105 strikeouts and a 0.75 ERA in nine games, while junior catcher Elijah Scott from Marion posted a .464 average, a .562 on‑base percentage and seven home runs.
Nolan Dittmer, a senior infielder from Davenport Assumption, led his squad to a state championship, batting .508 with eight homers, and Ty Heydon of Coon Rapids‑Bayard combined a .593 average with a .699 on‑base rate and 65 RBIs.
Class Teams and Honorable Mentions
Other notable names include Cal Jepsen of Sioux City East, who hit .507 with 45 RBIs in Class 4A, and Colton Wight from Martensdale St. Mary's, who smashed 11 home runs and drove in 51 runs while batting .578.
The Elite Team also features players such as Brandon Bea of Davenport North, who topped the state with 13 homers and a .409 average, and Tru McBride of Fort Dodge, who matched the home‑run lead with 12 and added 56 RBIs.
Class 3A, 2A and 1A squads round out the list, each containing a mix of catchers, infielders, outfielders, pitchers and utility players, while honorable mentions recognize fifteen additional standouts across the state.
The complete rosters, current as of July 30 on GoBound, illustrate the depth of talent that defined Iowa’s 2026 baseball landscape.