Obermueller and Pearson Named to Coaching Staff

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Wes Obermueller has been promoted to pitching coach for the University of Iowa baseball team, and David Pearson will rejoin the Iowa coaching staff, head coach Rick Heller announced Monday. Obermueller replaces Sean Kenny, who took a job with the University of Arizona, and Pearson replaces Mitchell Boe, who took a job in the Washington Nationals system.

“Wes has done an outstanding job as our director of player development,” said Heller. “He was a tremendous resource for Coach Kenny, and I feel fortunate to have someone with Wes’s talent and background ready to step in as our pitching coach. He already has the trust and respect of our pitching staff, which should make this transition smooth. As a former Hawkeye and major leaguer, Wes brings an elite work ethic and a genuine love for the game to the park every day. He’s going to do a fantastic job.”

“It’s great to have David back on staff,” said Heller. “His passion for the game and the enthusiasm he brings every day are infectious. He is an outstanding relationship builder, and our players will love working with him. David is an experienced veteran and an exceptional all-around coach and recruiter. We’re excited to see him back in a Hawkeye uniform.”

Obermueller served as Iowa’s director of player development during the 2024-25 season.

“I am thankful for the opportunity to become the pitching coach at Iowa,” said Obermueller. “I look forward to using my experience and knowledge to help these athletes compete to their potential and contribute to the sustained success that Coach Heller and his staff have established with the Hawkeye baseball program.”

In his first season on staff, Iowa’s national rankings improved in multiple categories, including ERA (123rd to 16th), WHIP (134th to 27th) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (147th to 51st).

The Iowa pitching staff ranked second in the nation with nine shutouts, fifth in hits allowed per nine innings (7.26), 11th in strikeouts per nine innings (10.8) and 16th in ERA (4.16). Iowa led the Big Ten in strikeouts (578) and ranked second in ERA (4.16). The Hawkeyes’ rotation of Cade Obermueller, Aaron Savary and Reece Beuter combined to go 18-5 with a 3.51 ERA. They struck out 265 batters and walked 87 over 43 starts and 226 2/3 innings.

Iowa pitchers logged 16 quality starts, the most by a Hawkeye squad since 2019 (19). Savary led the staff with six, while Beuter and Cade Obermueller tallied five each. Four of Cade Obermueller’s five quality starts were double-digit strikeout performances. In those 16 quality starts, Iowa pitchers recorded 129 strikeouts to 26 walks and allowed just 12 runs over 105 innings.

Iowa won 33 games and finished third in the conference in the regular season with a 21-9 record and made its 10th straight Big Ten Tournament appearance.

The Hawkeyes had four pitchers drafted in the 2025 MLB draft — Cade Obermueller, Daniel Wright, Savary and Anthony Watts. Catcher Daniel Rogers signed as an undrafted free agent.

Obermueller played for Iowa from 1997 to 1999 before being selected by Kansas City in the second round of the MLB draft. In 1999, he had a 6.83 ERA while recording 91 strikeouts in 88 1/3 innings. He also hit .352 with 24 RBIs. Obermueller started his career at Iowa as a shortstop and then a right fielder before making his debut on the mound as a junior. He locked down a spot in the starting rotation in 1999.

The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native made his major league debut on Sept. 20, 2002, and played parts of five seasons in the big leagues (Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, Florida Marlins), starting 48 games and appearing in 80. He had a 5.82 ERA over 315 1/3 innings, tallying 166 strikeouts.

He also pitched for the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball and the Samsung Lions of the KBO League.

Obermueller holds a Bachelor of Science in health, leisure and sports studies from the University of Iowa.

Pearson previously served as a volunteer assistant coach for the Hawkeyes in 2021.

“Coming back to the University of Iowa feels like coming home,” said Pearson. “The people, the culture and the commitment to excellence within this program are second to none. I’m thankful for the trust to rejoin Coach Heller’s staff and eager to get back to work supporting our players. I’m excited to help the program continue to move forward.”

Pearson spent the 2025 fall semester on the Illinois State baseball staff after more than two years as a Midwest area scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers, covering Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.

During his one season in Iowa City, the Hawkeyes won 36 games, the eighth-most wins in a single season in program history, and finished tied for second in the Big Ten with a 17-7 record. Iowa won 20 of 27, 23 of 32 and 30 of 42 games down the stretch, including six straight series to close out the regular season, putting itself in NCAA Regional conversation at season’s end. The Hawkeyes qualified for the Big Ten Tournament and advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 2017.

Iowa’s pitching staff ranked among the nation’s best, finishing second nationally in hits allowed per nine innings (6.88), third in strikeouts per nine innings (11.2), fourth in ERA (3.72) and 11th in WHIP (1.29). The staff led the Big Ten in virtually every pitching category.

The coaching staff transformed South Dakota State transfer Adam Mazur into the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, the second straight Hawkeye to earn the honor. Mazur earned Collegiate Baseball second-team All-America and ABCA/Rawlings third-team All-America honors, while earning first-team all-region and first-team All-Big Ten distinction after going 7-3 with a 3.07 ERA and 98 strikeouts over 93 2/3 innings. Mazur had nine quality starts during the season.

Mazur led a quartet of Hawkeyes selected in the 2022 MLB draft, as he was taken in the second round (53rd overall) by the San Diego Padres, the program’s highest draft pick since 1990. Iowa also had two additional top-10 round picks — the three top-10 rounders were the most in school history — in Peyton Williams (seventh round, Toronto) and Dylan Nedved (ninth round, San Diego), while Duncan Davitt was chosen in the 18th round by Tampa Bay. Ben Beutel signed as an undrafted free agent with the Chicago White Sox.

The Hawkeyes’ roster also featured the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, as Keaton Anthony became the second player in program history to earn the distinction. The Georgia native also garnered Freshman All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball and the NCBWA (and second-team All-Big Ten) after hitting .361 with 22 doubles, 14 home runs, 55 RBIs and 46 runs scored. The 14 home runs were the most by a Hawkeye freshman since 1999.

Freshman pitcher Brody Brecht earned Freshman All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball and Perfect Game after striking out 44 over 22 2/3 innings and allowing just one extra-base hit.

Iowa had four All-Big Ten selections and four ABCA/Rawlings All-Region honorees in 2022. Williams (.355, 17 doubles, 13 home runs, 55 runs, 41 RBIs) earned first-team All-Big Ten and second-team all-region honors, while senior reliever Beutel earned second-team honors from both outlets after going 3-0 with a 1.47 ERA and four saves in 29 appearances. Beutel picked off nine batters during the year en route to becoming the second Hawkeye all-time to earn a Rawlings Gold Glove for being the best defensive pitcher in Division I college baseball.

Prior to his time with the Hawkeyes, Pearson spent two years as associate head coach at North Dakota State, his second stint with the Bison. He also served as head coach at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) from 2016-19.

During the 2021 season, Pearson helped the Bison to a school-record 42 victories, as the team went 42-19 en route to a Summit League Tournament title and NCAA Regional berth. NDSU won its first NCAA Regional game, a 6-1 win over Nevada, to tally its first NCAA win of the Division I era.

Pearson spent 10 years in Fargo from 2007-16, ending his run as associate head coach for two seasons. He helped the Bison to their first-ever Summit League Tournament championship and an NCAA Division I tournament berth in 2014. He also assisted the Bison to three Summit League championship game appearances and five league tournament berths in his final six seasons.

Pearson was part of both of North Dakota State’s NCAA Regional berths and both of the program’s 40-win seasons.

In his 10 years at NDSU, Pearson helped the Bison establish several offensive season records, including most triples, hits and sacrifice hits in 2012 and most times hit by pitch in 2010, along with defensive season records for fielding percentage, putouts, assists and chances during the 2012 campaign.

Pearson worked with 2014 Summit League Player of the Year and first-team All-Summit League selection Tim Colwell, along with Michael Leach, who was also named to the all-league first team. He also coached 2016 All-Summit League first-team honoree Drew Fearing. A total of 19 players signed professional contracts during Pearson’s tenure in Fargo.

In the classroom, the Bison routinely posted an average 3.0 team GPA, and Pearson coached four players who combined for eight CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-America awards, including Colwell, who was named the 2014 CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-America Athlete of the Year for Division I baseball and was a three-time first-team Academic All-America honoree. Colwell was also named The Summit League Male Scholar Athlete of the Year.

North Dakota State also had three student-athletes earn prestigious NCAA postgraduate scholarships, while two Bison baseball teams (2014, 2015) earned NCAA Public Recognition Awards.

During his head coaching stint at DMACC, Pearson led the Bears to a 38-17 record and the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference title in 2018. He was named ICCAC Coach of the Year. In three seasons as head coach, DMACC averaged 32 wins per season and appeared in the 2018 NJCAA Region XI Tournament title game.

Pearson also served as an assistant coach at North Dakota in 2004, helping UND to a school-record 37 victories and a regular-season conference crown. He was an assistant coach at Mayville State in 2005 and 2007, where he helped the Comets to a conference tournament title.

Pearson’s coaching career began as an assistant on the 2003 state tournament team at May-Port-CG High School.

As a player, Pearson was a two-time all-conference infielder in junior college at Minot State-Bottineau, where he was a member of the 2000 team that won the Mon-Dak title. He went on to play two seasons at Mayville State and was a member of two Region 3 championship teams and played in the 2002 NAIA World Series. Pearson was inducted into the Dakota College at Bottineau Hall of Fame in 2015.

Pearson graduated from Mayville State in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in business education.