Iowa

Iowa Cubs outfielder Kevin Alcantara playing best baseball of his Triple-A career

Published

9 months ago

July 4, 2025

Iowa Cubs outfielder Kevin Alcantara playing best baseball of his Triple-A career

The Iowa Cubs were trailing 4-1 in the bottom of the ninth inning of their June 28 game against the Columbus Clippers when outfielder Kevin Alcantara stepped to the plate to face pitcher Parker Musinski.

Musinski, a relief pitcher for the Clippers, dropped a curveball that hovered over the heart of the plate.

Alcantara jumped on the 82.4 mile per hour offering from Mushinski and pulverized the pitch 408 feet to left centerfield. The homer, his ninth of the season, came off the bat at a whopping 108.5 mph. It turned into one of the highlights of a remarkable run for Alcantara.

“Over the last two and a half weeks, he’s really started to turn it on,” said Iowa manager Marty Pevey. “It’s really good to see. That’s what we’ve been waiting for. We know he’s probably the most talented guy on the field at any point during any game, no matter who we’re playing.”

Alcantara has turned into one of the hottest hitters in the entire Chicago Cubs organization over the past two weeks. The 22-year-old entered Iowa’s July 3 game against the Omaha Storm Chasers having hit safely in his last five contests and 10 of his last 11. He became the first Iowa player to tally five-straight multi-hit games since Pete Crow-Armstrong accomplished the feat in 2024.

“He’s done really good,” Pevey said.

Alcantara has played so well lately that Pevey called it the best stretch he’s seen out of the young outfielder “since he’s come up” to Triple-A late in 2024. The young outfielder was acquired by the Cubs as part of a trade that sent fan-favorite superstar first baseman Anthony Rizzo to the New York Yankees. Alcantara was seen as an up-and-coming prospect.

Ever since he came to the Cubs, Alcantara has only shown flashes of his potential. He hit .279 with 15 homers in 112 games with Myrtle Beach in 2022. Alcantara then hit .284 with 13 homers across three different levels in 2023. He followed that up with a .278 season that led to a brief promotion to the big leagues in 2024.

But Alcantara struggled out of the gates this season, hitting just .222 in March, .264 in April and .233 in May. The slow start led to questions about Alcantara’s future. Would he ever live up to the high hopes that made him a Top 100 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline? If he was going to, an adjustment had to be made at the plate.

The adjustment was simple. Pevey said Iowa’s hitting staff has been working with Alcantara on making sure he gets his foot down on time. The hope is that it would put him in a good position to hit, so he doesn’t miss fastballs and can better recognize off-speed stuff. Pevey said it’s been a point of emphasis this season.

“It’s always been that way,” Pevey said. “It’s a matter of buying in.”

Now that Alcantara has bought in, he’s playing better than ever. He entered Iowa’s July 3 game hitting .270 with 10 homers and 45 runs driven in. The turnaround comes after a huge June that saw him hit .306 with seven doubles and two home runs in 21 games.

The recent run of success has brought around a new wave of questions about Alcantara’s future. Does he have a spot in Chicago? Or will the Cubs deal him to another team at the trade deadline? But the important thing is for Alcantara to keep hitting.

“It’s just a matter of him just putting it all together and when the light goes on and stay on, it’s going to be really special,” Pevey said.

Tommy Birch, the Register’s sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He’s the 2018, 2020 and 2023 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468

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Iowa State basketball names veteran Tim Buckley as new assistant coach

Published

4 hours ago

April 6, 2026

Press Room

Iowa State basketball names veteran Tim Buckley as new assistant coach

Iowa State men’s basketball has filled the first assistant coaching vacancy on its staff.

The Cyclones announced on Monday, April 6, that head coach T.J. Otzelberger has named Tim Buckley as a new assistant coach. He will begin his duties with Iowa State immediately.

Buckley most recently served as an assistant for two seasons at Cincinnati, but he comes to Ames with more than three decades of coaching experience. He was also previously part of Otzelberger’s staff for both years of his tenure at UNLV from 2019-21.

“A renowned coach in player development, I’m excited to have Tim join our staff at Iowa State,” Otzelberger said in a statement. “Tim brings a wealth of knowledge, both as a head coach and assistant coach. He has recruited and developed some of the top talents in the NBA. I’m thrilled that our student-athletes will get the opportunity to work with Tim.”

The 62-year-old Buckley has garnered a reputation for his player development and recruiting. Before arriving in Ames, he got Division I head coaching experience at Ball State (2000-06), and he’s also been an esteemed assistant coach at Wisconsin (1993-94), Ball State (1994-99), Marquette (1999-00, 2007-08), Iowa (2006-07), Indiana (2008-17), UNLV (2019-22), South Carolina (2022-24) and Cincinnati (2024-26).

Before joining Otzelberger’s staff at UNLV, he was also a scout for the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2017-19.

Buckley has worked with 12 NBA Draft picks, nine of whom were drafted in the first round. Of those nine first-round picks, six of them were lottery picks. Some of the top talent Buckley has recruited and developed include Dwyane Wade, Victor Oladipo, Cody Zeller and Noah Vonleh. He also helped coach All-American Yogi Ferrell at Indiana.

“I’m thankful for the opportunity to be reunited with T.J. Otzelberger,” Buckley said in a statement. “What he has done over the last five years is amazing. Iowa State is a nationally recognized program and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

Buckley played at Waubonsee Community College from 1982-84, before finishing his playing career at Division II Bemidji State from 1984-86. After that, he went right into coaching at his alma mater for two seasons, before moving over to Division III Rockford, where he spent one year as an assistant. He was promoted to Rockford’s head coach, a job he held from 1989-93, before breaking through to the Division I ranks.

Iowa State finished this past season at 29-8. The Cyclones reached the Sweet 16 for the third time in five years under Otzelberger. The Cyclones still have one assistant coaching vacancy to fill, after J.R. Blount (San Diego) and Kyle Green (Northern Iowa) departed for head coaching opportunities.

Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.

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UPDATE: Amber Alert canceled for missing 12-year-old

Published

16 hours ago

April 5, 2026

Press Room

UPDATE: Amber Alert canceled for missing 12-year-old

WATERLOO (KCRG) – The Amber Alert for 12-year-old Deyton Annabelle Cranston has been canceled.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety said Cranston was located and the Waterloo Police Department is investigating.

PREVIOUS STORY:

Iowa (KCRG) – An amber alert has been issued for a missing 12-year-old out of Waterloo.

12-year-old Deyton Annabelle Cranston was last seen wearing a white tank top and a blue skirt and wearing clear glasses.

An Amber Alert has been issued for Deyton Annabelle Cranston who has been reported missing from Waterloo(State of Iowa Amber Alert)

She’s described as 5′4′, 135 and has blonde hair and brown eyes.

Officials say to look out for a red Toyota Camry with all tinted windows, a black spoiler, and no license plate on the front.

Anyone with information should contact authorites.

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Vote: Who Should be Iowa’s High School Athlete of the Week? (4/5/2026)

Published

1 day ago

April 5, 2026

Press Room

Vote: Who Should be Iowa’s High School Athlete of the Week? (4/5/2026)

Here are the candidates for High School on SI’s Iowa high school athlete of the week for March 30-April 4. Read through the nominees and cast your vote.

Voting closes at 11:59 p.m. PT on Sunday, April 12. The winner will be announced in the following week’s poll. Here are this week’s nominees:

Greyson Hartman, Washington boys track and field

The junior recorded the second-best United States throw in the shot put with a toss of 67-3.5. It is the second-best throw in Iowa history, breaking the Class 3A mark set by NFL standout Tristan Wirfs.

Shea Rapp, Ridge View girls track and field

Rapp won the high jump and the 200 at the Audubon Early Bird while also running on the winning distance medley relay and runner-up 4×400 relay.

Rylee Hemmingsen, Treynor girls track and field

Hemmingsen showed off her skills by winning the 100 hurdles, running on the winning shuttle hurdle and 4×400 relays, and placing second in the high jump at the Audubon Early Bird.

Cash Varner, Alburnett boys track and field

Varner was cash at the Benton Early Bird, placing first in both the 100 dash and long jump.

Aiden Gosselink, Grinnell girls track and field

Gosselink hit the Blue Standard to qualify for the Drake Relays in the long jump while also winning the 100 at the Benton Early Bird.

Rylan Peters, Waverly-Shell Rock boys track and field

Peters set a new school-record in the long jump at 23-8 while also hitting the Blue Standard and qualifying for Drake Relays.

Jase Price, Des Moines Christian boys soccer

Price had quite the varsity debut, as the freshman recorded a haul by scoring four goals in a win over Boone.

Aiden Kellar, Treynor boys soccer

Kellar tallied a hat trick with three goals in a 5-1 win for the Cardinals over Harlan.

Kaden Theisen, Western Dubuque boys soccer

Theisen was peppered with 20 shots in a match vs. Beckman Catholic, saving 19 of them to help the Bobcats to a 2-1 win.

Lucas Sidles, Independence boys track and field

Sidles swept the throwing events at the West Delaware Early Bird, winning the shot put and discus.

Adam Kacmarynski, Pella Christian boys track and field

Kacmarynski won the 100 and ran on the winning sprint medley and 4×100 relays at the Chariton Invitational.

Mark Fraise, Davis County boys track and field

Fraise finished first in the 400 hurdles, was on the first place shuttle hurdle and 4×400 relays, and also ran on the second place distance medley relay.

Gage Hoppenworth, Johnston boys track and field

Hoppenworth had a three-gold night at the Dowling Catholic meet, winning the 110 and 400 hurdles while running the third leg on the winning shuttle hurdle relay.

Alayna Goldsberry, Southeast Polk girls track and field

The junior won the 100 and 200 at her home invitational while running the anchor on the second place 4×400 relay.

Natalie Sitzmann, Waukee girls track and field

Sitzmann, a senior, won the 200 and ran on the first place shuttle hurdle and 4×400 relays at her home invitational.

Isabel Spradling, Des Moines Roosevelt girls track and field

Spradling picked up a first in the 1,500 and was on the gold-medal 4×400 and 4×800 relays at the Waukee Invitational.

Alayna Williams, Carlisle girls soccer

Williams, a senior, recorded five goals in a season-opening win over Knoxville, 10-1.

Carly Torneten, Harlan Community girls soccer

Torneten not only scored four goals, but she recorded four assists vs. Carroll.

About Our Athlete of the Week Voting

High School on SI voting polls are meant to be a fun, lighthearted way for fans to show support for their favorite athletes and teams. Our goal is to celebrate all of the players featured, regardless of the vote totals. Sometimes one athlete will receive a very large number of votes — even thousands — and that’s okay! The polls are open to everyone and are simply a way to build excitement and community around high school sports. Unless we specifically announce otherwise, there are no prizes or official awards for winning. The real purpose is to highlight the great performances of every athlete included in the poll.

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