Rick Heller keeps finding answers in the transfer portal, and Iowa’s latest move looks built to steady the middle of the infield.
After losing four key pieces from last season - Ben Swails, Caleb Wulf, Gable Mitchell and Kooper Schulte - the Hawkeyes needed help, and they’ve kept adding it. First came 1B/OF Sawyer Stein, then IF Diego Frey, and now Southeastern infielder Nathan Hopkins is on his way to Iowa City.
Hopkins announced his decision on June 28, 2026, and he made it clear he’s eager for the opportunity. He also appears to be taking aim at the new five-year eligibility rule after spending his first two seasons at Seward County Community College in Kansas, leaving him with a chance to play two more seasons instead of just one.
Thank you, Jesus, for everything!
Go Hawkeyes!!
2 Cor. 12:9-10 #Godisgreat @UIBaseball @AlexTHinz pic.twitter.com/nsSaCdVC3E
- Nathan H (@NateHopkins_1) June 28, 2026
The numbers explain why Iowa wanted him. Hopkins helped lead Southeastern to the NAIA World Series last season, where the team finished as semifinalists.
He was the only player on that roster to start all 63 games, and he hit .395 with 20 doubles, five home runs and 54 RBI. He also stole 25 bases and set an NAIA World Series record by batting .678.
That kind of production gives Heller another veteran option right where Iowa needed one most. Hopkins profiles as a contact hitter with speed, and the stolen base total jumps off the page - especially after he nearly doubled his total from the previous season at Seward County CC, where he had 13 steals.
The Hawkeyes are also looking at him as more than just a bat. Hopkins brings shortstop value, and that matters in a big way. A shaky shortstop can unravel everything around him, and Iowa clearly believes Hopkins can help prevent that from happening.
There’s no guarantee he wins the job immediately, but the path is there. Iowa’s options up the middle are limited, and Hopkins has a real shot to step in right away. He also picked the Hawkeyes over offers from Alabama State and Louisiana Tech, among others, giving Iowa another portal win in a spot where it badly needed one.
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The race is meant to be a fun one, but it also offers a look at some of the talent making noise just before the Iowa High School Athletic Association State Baseball Tournament begins July 20. Among the names in the mix are several Class 4A standouts, including one Iowa commit and another player whose power numbers have put him in the spotlight, giving fans plenty to sort through before voting closes on July 6. [Read more 🡒]