Jack Dreyer, a 2017 graduate of Johnston, has had a long and winding path to becoming the baseball player he is today. In both the 2015 Future Games and the 2017 Super 60, Dreyer showed his pitchability on the mound, committing to the University of Iowa between the two showcases. His performance granted him 1st rank among LHPs in 2017 and 3rd in the state overall by PBR. PBR also ranked him 17th nationally among 2017 LHPs. With family, coaches, and experience on his side, Dreyer has developed as a pitcher and found success.

 

Dreyer started talking about collegiate baseball as a sophomore in high school. “I had been contacted by Iowa,” he said. “I actually reached out to them initially, and then they came to see me. So we had talked a few times, but they were the only school that I had talked to.”

But after attending the Future Games, things changed. “I threw two innings, and I hit 87, which was a lot harder than I thought I could throw,” Dreyer said. “After that weekend, I had 40 or 50 calls from different schools around the nation. And some more serious than others, but it basically served as an opportunity for me to leverage Iowa a little bit.”

The decision followed shortly after. “The fall going into my junior year was when I committed to Iowa,” Dreyer said. “From that point on, I just kept working really hard.”

Dreyer’s dad continues to support and influence his training. “I have to say, my dad because I grew up throwing with him, and he helped throughout high school and even still helps today,” he said.

 

Jack Dreyer 2/5/17

 

But mental training has impacted Dreyer greatly. “But outside of family, [Michael] Barta was the biggest influence because he changed the mentality behind the way that I go about baseball,” he said. “No matter what, your mental state is the biggest part of all of baseball because that sets you up for how you're going to progress.”

Having an edge in baseball will benefit a player during showcases and games. “For younger players, if you don't have a competitive advantage, then you shouldn't compete,” Dreyer said. “And obviously, that isn't always true. But I think it holds true for a lot of the time because you shouldn't be going to showcases if you're not going to be throwing up near the hardest or hitting the ball the farthest...I think that your development prior to the showcase is so much more important.”

In the end, it will work out. “If you have talent, you will be found, no matter what, because you play high school baseball and word travels quickly,” Dreyer said. “So people are gonna find you.”

Since moving on to collegiate baseball, Jack Dreyer has continued persevering through the ups and downs of baseball to find success. Family, focus, hard work, and mental and physical development all played a role in the growth he has had throughout his baseball career. And as he continues on that path, new success will follow.