Iowa Baseball struggled down the final stretch of the 2025 season, but they made multiple improvements across the diamond from the 2024 season. One of the biggest improvements was in the pitching game.
Iowa hired pitching coach Sean Kenny after the 2024 season to fix some of their pitching woes. Kenny did that and more in his first season in charge of the pitching staff.
The Iowa pitching staff improved in team earned run average (No. 123 to No. 16), WHIP (No. 134 to No. 27), and strikeout-to-walk ratio (No. 147 to No. 51) in Kenny's first season.
The Hawkeyes also ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten in strikeouts (578) and second in team ERA at 4.16. The staff also ranked No. 2 in the NCAA in shutouts (nine) and No. 5 in hits allowed per nine innings (7.26).
A significant factor in the Hawkeyes' success was the strength of the top three pitchers in the starting rotation, including Cade Obermueller, Aaron Savary, and Reece Beuter.
The trio had a combined 18-5 record with a 3.51 ERA, and struck out 265 batters in 226.2 innings.
Obermueller was the first of the trio to hear his name called during the 2025 MLB Draft, and on day two, Savary became the second.
Savo 🤠@AaronSavary x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/uQwqcGvaBp
— Iowa Baseball (@UIBaseball) July 14, 2025
Savary, a Dubuque, Iowa, native, is headed to Cleveland after the Guardians selected him with the No. 402 overall pick in the 13th round of the 2025 MLB Draft.
Savary became the third Iowa pitcher selected following Obermueller (second round, No. 63 overall) and Daniel Wright (10th round, No. 286 overall).
After being primarily used as a bullpen arm in his first two seasons with the Hawkeyes, Savary became a solid contributor at the top of Iowa's starting rotation.
Savaray posted a 7-2 record with a 4.37 ERA in 15 starts. He also tallied 82 strikeouts in 80.1 innings.
If Savary decides to forgo his senior year at Iowa to join the Guardians organization, he finishes his career with a 12-3 record and a 4.14 ERA in 45 appearences (19 starts).