Iowa’s Top High School Players To Watch For 2025 Season

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Iowa is unique in that it is the only U.S. state to hold its high school softball season in the summer, with games starting toward the end of May and the playoffs taking place in July. And the Hawkeye State will have many exciting prospects worth watching when the season kicks off in a few weeks.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With seniors already signed to their college of choice and underclassmen looking to grow their profiles, Iowa has long punched above its weight when it comes to producing top softball talent.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Below, Prep Softball highlights five standout players to watch ahead of the 2025 high school softball season in Iowa.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":106134,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Marin Heller","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'4u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"30","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Valley (West Des Moines)","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Select Fastpitch 18U Jones","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-681290f4a25b1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A Florida State signee, Marin Heller entered the postseason last summer with a .455 batting average, 12 home runs and 61 RBI while posting a .962 fielding percentage at shortstop and second base. Her long swing produces some impressive exit velocities and she has big-time power to the pull side. Defensively, Heller can turn a double play with the best of them, and she has excellent range going back on shallow line drives and charging in on grounders at short. She committed to the Seminoles in October 2023 and also attended camps at Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, LSU and Stanford. Before she arrives in Tallahassee, she will have one last run tearing up the high school circuit in her home state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["103110"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-681290f4a2642"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='103110' first='Sophia' last='Schlader'] is already a well-known star before even playing her freshman high school season this summer. In January, she was selected for the U.S. national team U15 pool, coming off an eighth-grade season in which she won 20 games in the circle with a sub-1.00 ERA and 238 strikeouts. Schlader was nearly as dominant at the plate, batting .421 and leading all players in Iowa with 18 homers to go along with 10 doubles and 43 RBI. She was named Class 5A Pitcher of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year, an astounding feat for an eighth grader. And her athletic exploits are not limited to softball—Schlader also plays basketball and is a runner and thrower on the track and field team. She will have no shortage of interest from the top college programs in the country.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":106144,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Piper Johnson","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"31","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Prairie (Cedar Rapids)","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Nebraska Gold 319 Berning","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-681290f4a271b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Committed to Augustana University in South Dakota, Johnson was named Class 5A First-Team All-State as a freshman, batting .424 with seven doubles, 33 runs scored and 17 RBI. She has nice, easy power with a swing that looks almost effortless as well as impressive plate discipline for a player her age. Before committing to Augustana, Johnson drew interest from Division I programs, attending camps at Florida Gulf Coast and Florida International. She is a five-tool player who also pitches on occasion with the ability to play at any infield or outfield spot. Heading into her junior campaign this summer, Johnson still has a lot of high school softball ahead of her as she keeps developing her skills.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":106328,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='89591' first='Mariah' last='Myers']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'9u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"32","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"St. Edmond","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Iowa Premier","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-681290f4a27f1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='89591' first='Mariah' last='Myers'] will stay in-state for college as an Iowa signee, and the Hawkeyes are getting a good one. She may play at a small school, but her numbers would be eye-popping anywhere. Heading into the postseason last summer, Myers was batting .627 with a .734 on-base percentage while leading all players statewide in slugging. She had 14 home runs without striking out a single time. Looking at the film, it's easy to see how she puts up those statistics. The ball explodes off her bat and her long legs give her the speed to stretch hits into triples and inside-the-park homers. Her quick reflexes also serve her well on defense, especially at the corner infield spots.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":106203,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Ava Husak","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"19","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"North Polk","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Iowa Renegades","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6812a9511af60"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Ava Husak will also stay close to home for college after committing to Drake last year. She is one of the top two-way players in Iowa, entering the state tournament as a junior with 28 wins, an ERA of 0.94 and 342 strikeouts in 217 innings pitched. At the plate, she batted .500 with 13 homers, 16 doubles and 49 RBI. Husak surpassed 600 strikeouts for her high school career last season, and in the state quarterfinals against Western Dubuque, she allowed just two hits and hit a three-run blast to send North Polk onward. Husak was named first-team all-conference, all-district and all-state in 2024 and is ready for one last ride this summer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->