A number of Iowa high school baseball standouts were selected during the 2026 Major League Baseball draft. The amateur draft was conducted July 11-12, 2026 from the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Gable Mitchell, Kaleb LaFavor, Caleb Klein, Sam George, Nate Smithburg and Kooper Schulte each heard their names called during the draft.

Gable Mitchell Was Two-Way Star For Iowa City High

Mitchell, an Iowa City High grad, was picked in the eighth round with the 193rd overall pick by the Toronto Blue Jays. He played his collegiate baseball at the University of Iowa after batting .466 with 12 extra-base hits, 55 runs scored, 29 RBI and 25 steals, going 5-0 with a 0.95 earned run average and 18 strikeouts as a senior.

In high school, Mitchell was an all-stater in baseball and earned all-conference honors on the football field. His grandfather is Dan Gable, an Olympic wrestling gold medalist who led the Hawkeyes to 15 NCAA championships.

Kaleb LaFavor Lone Current Iowa High School Baseball Player Selected

LaFavor, currently a senior at Sioux City Bishop Heelan High School, was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 10th round with the 304th pick. He has gone 3-1 with 40 strikeouts and a 0.79 earned run average in just under 18 innings on the mound this summer.

Klein, a Western Dubuque High School prep, played at Southeastern Community College and Southeast Missouri. He helped lead the Bobcats to back-to-back Class 3A Iowa High School Athletic Association State Baseball Tournament championships.

During his senior season at Western Dubuque, Klein hit .414 with nine doubles, seven triples, 49 runs scored and 30 RBI, stealing 20 bases. He went to the Atlanta Braves with the 442nd pick in the 15th round.

Several Former Iowa High School Baseball Players Hear Their Names Called

George, a former Pleasant Valley High School standout, played for Minnesota State University this past spring and was picked by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 19th round with the No. 581 overall selection.

In his final high school season with the Spartans, he struck out 62 batters in 44 innings, putting together a 2.07 earned run average.

Smithburg was picked by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 18th round with the 533rd pick after playing at Fairfield High School and for the Oklahoma Sooners.

As a senior, Smithburg went 6-1 with 83 strikeouts and a 0.43 earned run average in 47 innings pitched on the mound.

Schulte, who played at New London High School, played collegiately at Central Arizona, Southeastern Community College and for the Iowa Hawkeyes. He was selected by the New York Mets in the 20th round with the 600th pick overall.

He was an all-stater for New London in 2022, helping lead them to a state baseball championship that same season. As a senior, Schulte hit .444 with six home runs, 13 doubles, 50 runs scored, 44 RBI and nine steals, recording three saves and 29 strikeouts in just over 14 innings pitched.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Outgoing Michigan Sen. Gary Peters is endorsing U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens as his successor, adding to a growing effort by the Democratic establishment to help her defeat progressive favorite Abdul El-Sayed in next month’s primary.

Peters, who is retiring after 12 years in the Senate, said Stevens “will be ready on day one to fight for Michigan.” The endorsement, which was announced Monday, marks a reversal for Peters, who told The Associated Press in late May that he intended to stay neutral in the race.

But since then, Democratic leaders have increasingly rallied behind Stevens as the Aug. 4 primary approaches and concerns grow that El-Sayed is too far left to succeed in November. Holding the Michigan seat is viewed as critical to Democrats’ hopes of reclaiming the Senate majority.

Stevens, a four-term House member, has campaigned as a more moderate Democrat focused on manufacturing issues in the critical battleground state. El-Sayed, who has never held elected office, is running on a more progressive platform that includes Medicare for All and campaign finance reform. He’s also been outspoken about the war in Gaza, which has been a fault line within the party.

Concerns about Michigan have only intensified after Democrats’ attempt to flip a Senate seat in Maine was thrown into turmoil when nominee Graham Platner withdrew from the race following a sexual assault allegation last week. Democrats there must now choose a new nominee to face Republican Sen. Susan Collins.

Peters’ endorsement also comes after state Sen. Mallory McMorrow dropped out of Michigan’s Democratic primary earlier this month, transforming the race into a head-to-head contest between Stevens and El-Sayed.

“Senator Peters knows what it takes to win in Michigan, and he knows what Michigan needs from our next U.S. Senator: grit, effectiveness, hard work, and Michigan common sense,” Stevens said in a statement. “I am honored to have his support.”

Peters won two Senate races in Michigan and led Senate Democrats’ campaign arm during the 2022 and 2024 election cycles.

His endorsement adds to Stevens’ growing support from the Democratic establishment, with the race being viewed nationally as a broader fight over the party’s direction.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York has also backed Stevens, along with Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada. El-Sayed has support from Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and, more recently, Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland.

The campaign has grown increasingly contentious in recent weeks.

El-Sayed has attacked Stevens over tens of millions of dollars in outside spending supporting her campaign, including by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Stevens has criticized El-Sayed for not disclosing his personal financial records.

During a July 7 debate, each accused the other of running a negative campaign.

“Abdul has spent this entire campaign attacking me,” Stevens said.

The Democratic winner will likely face Republican Mike Rogers, a former member of the U.S. House running uncontested for his party’s nomination, in what is expected to be one of the country’s most expensive and closely watched Senate races.