Cue transfer portal season. Just 48 hours after the portal officially opened for business and over a thousand names have already entered. There’s a wide variety of opinions on whether or not having that many players looking for new homes is healthy for the sport or not. One thing is for certain, any team looking to fill a couple of roster spots will have plenty of options.
Rick Heller and the Iowa Hawkeyes could be one of the teams looking to make a couple of additions this offseason. A source indicates that the coaching staff is looking to potentially add a pitcher or two, while they are also in the market for some offensive help if the right fit comes along. HawkeyeReport takes a look at three positions that could benefit from some help from the transfer portal.
1. Pitching in general, but starting pitching might be smart
The pitching staff was supposed to be the strength of the team this past season, but an underwhelming year on the mound was a big reason why the Hawkeyes did not live up to their preseason expectations. The staff ranked 123rd in the country in ERA,134th in WHIP and 267th in walks per nine innings. They did rank 5th in strikeouts per nine innings and 13th in hits allowed per nine innings, but the group never hit its true potential.
All that said, those numbers are not the sole reason why the Hawkeyes need to look to add a pitcher or two. Brody Brecht and Marcus Morgan are set to head to the MLB Draft, which means Iowa will be losing two arms that combined to make 58 of the 94 (61.7%) weekend starts over the last two years. That’s a considerable amount to replace.
If Cade Obermueller chooses another year at Iowa over the MLB Draft, Rick Heller will have his Friday ace slot filled. Behind Obermueller, Anthony Watts (4.15 ERA, 45.1 INN) and Aaron Savary (4.19 ERA, 38.2 INN) figure to be the frontrunners to finish out the weekend rotation. So why did I mention starting pitching over bullpen help?
I think the coaching staff should look to add both a starter and a bullpen arm, but someone with starting experience would make a bigger impact. Adding a starting pitcher would give the Hawkeyes extra competition for the final two spots in the rotation, while it would ensure that they have a long relief option like they did with Watts and Savary this season. Best-case scenario, the Hawkeyes add a proven bullpen arm and a starting pitcher that pushes to win a spot in the starting rotation.
2. Outfield
There’s still a bit of uncertainty with the Iowa outfield, as Sam Petersen could head to the MLB Draft or return for another season with the Hawkeyes. Whether Petersen returns or not, Rick Heller needs to look for an outfielder in the transfer portal. Kyle Huckstorf was a three-year starter in centerfield and his departure will be felt in more ways than one. Huckstorf finished his Iowa career with 28 doubles, 11 triples, 17 home runs, 130 RBI’s, 38 stolen bases and many defensive highlights. It was unfortunate to see him miss starting the last 15 games due to a hand injury.
The good news for the Hawkeyes is that they have some flexibility with what type of outfielder they need to look for. Andy Nelson and Sam Petersen can both play centerfield, so a corner outfielder could fit as well. If they don’t land someone in the portal, Ben Wilmes, Connor Hennings and Kellen Strohmeyer will be candidates to win the job, with Wilmes having the most experience.
If Sam Petersen decides to return the Hawkeyes could probably get by without adding an outfielder. That being said, if I’m Rick Heller, I would look to land an experienced outfielder and try Andy Nelson or Ben Wilmes to a different spot in the lineup. Injuries played a big part, but Iowa didn’t have a single player with double digit home runs. If an outfielder with proven power in their bat is interested in coming to Iowa, it would be really hard to pass up.
3. Catcher or Middle Infield
The Hawkeyes go from three catchers with experience to just one. Cade Moss and Davis Cop have exhausted their eligibility, which means Reese Moore becomes the only player on the roster to have college catching experience. He tied for the team lead with 19 starts behind the plate, but spent his fair share of time at DH with 29 starts coming there.
Behind Moore will be redshirt freshman Max Burt who missed all of last season with a torn ACL, as well as incoming freshman Carter Geffre. Offensively, Reese Moore batted .293, with a .428 on-base percentage, including 15 doules, five home runs and 32 RBI’s. Solid numbers for a redshirt freshman. It feels like he is going to be a centerpiece in the lineup next season.
A fourth catcher seems necessary just to make sure the group has enough depth. If the coaching staff feels like Reese Moore can be the full-time starter behind the plate, then an addition for depth purposes would be best. They could also opt to add a Davis Cop type player that could split time at catcher and also DH.
The other position to keep an eye on is in the middle infield. Shortstop Michael Seegers has finished his Hawkeye career after playing 198 games over four seasons. That leaves a sizable hole defensively, while he was also a reliable hitter and baserunner. Gable Mitchell returns at 2B, but the name to watch here is Andy Nelson. The coaching staff could opt to move him back to the infield, but if not, the Hawkeyes could be in the market for a middle infielder.
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