Hawk Item — Iowa’s first All-American by two outlets since 1990… selected in the 29nd round (884th pick) of the 2016 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Chicago Cubs… taken in the 33rd round of the 2015 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Cincinnati Reds with the 985th pick… finished his career ninth in innings pitched (239.0) and strikeouts (166), and 10th in career singles (133).
2016 Honors — Big Ten Tournament All-Tournament team… Big Ten Pitcher of the Week on May 24. 2016 — Started 54 games… hit .335 with 72 hits, 17 doubles, 43 runs, and 26 RBIs… 17 doubles are tied for the ninth-most in a single-season in school history… ranked in top 15 in Big Ten in eight categories… was tied for third in triples (4), tied for ninth in doubles (17), tied for 10th in batting average (.335), 10th in slugging percentage (.507), tied for 12th in hits (72), tied for 14th in runs (43), and 15th in on-base percentage (.412)… reached safely in 19 straight games from Feb. 21 to March 29… had 23 multi-hit games (17 two-hit, four three-hit, two four-hit)… went 4-5 with a 4.24 ERA on the year, striking out 47 in 68 innings… limited hiters to a .230 average, the 12th-lowest in Big Ten… had five quality starts — four coming in his final four starts… went 4-2 with a 3.60 ERA in Big Ten play… tossed 26 1/3 scoreless innings over his last three-plus starts… hit .500 with seven runs, three doubles, two triples, and three RBIs in the Big Ten Tournament… went 4-for-6 with a double, triple, and two runs scored in win over Minnesota (5/25)… went 2-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored, including the game winning run, in the 5-4, 10-inning victory over Ohio State (5/27)… allowed three runs on five hits over seven innings on the mound, fanning five against the Buckeyes… finished 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs in Big Ten title game against Ohio State (5/29)… went 3-for-6 with a double and RBI in series finale at Penn State (5/20)… won his third straight start, pitching a complete game shutout — the second of his career — in Big Ten Tournament-clinching win at Penn State (5/20)… scattered three hits and struck out four without issuing a walk…finished 2-for-5 with three runs, two doubles, and an RBI in road win at Western Illinois (5/17)… went 2-for-4 with a run scored in series finale against Michigan State (5/15)… tallied his third victory, scattering three hits over seven shutout innings against Michigan State (5/14)… finished with a .500 (6-of-12) average in series at Ohio State (5/6-8), posting back-to-back three-hit games… earned his second win, scattering two hits in seven shutout innings at Ohio State (5/7)… hit a team-leading .538 (7-of-13) with four extra base hits against Kansas State (4/29-5/1)… tied a career-high, going 4-for-5 with two doubles and a triple in series opener (4/29)… went 2-for-4 with an RBI in series finale… posted a .385 average in three-game series against No. 18/21 Michigan (4/22-24) with two multi-hit games… went 2-for-3 with three runs and two RBIs in game two…. hit .462 (6-for-13) with three multi-hit games in three-game series at Indiana (4/15-17)… went 2-for-4 with two RBIs in game two… had his first three-hit game of the season against Air Force (4/12), going 3-for-5 with a double, run, and RBI… stole three bases and drew three walks in game two (4/13)… had two hits, finishing 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI — coming on an opposite field solo home run — against Milwaukee (4/6)… notched his first win, allowing one run on five hits in five innings at Minnesota (4/3)… went 1-for-4 with four RBIs via his first career grand slam against Northern Illinois (3/29)… finished with a .385 (5-of-13) average in series against Maryland (3/25-27)… pitched five innings, allowing one run on three hits and fanning a season-high seven against Maryland (3/26) in a no-decision… hit a team-best .438 (7-of-16) at the Spring Swing with three multi-hit games… tagged with the loss in the season-opener at Dallas Baptist (2/19) despite a quality start… gave up two unearned runs on two hits and struck out six over 6 1/3 innings… preseason first-team All-Big Ten selection by College Sports Madness as an infielder… rated as the seventh-best prospect in the Big Ten by Perfect Game… named to the Big Ten Players to Watch List… selected as the Big Ten’s best first baseman leading into 2016 by Baseball America… selected as the pitcher with the “best changeup” leading into 2016 by Baseball America.
2015 Honors — Third-team All-American by D1Baseball.com and NCBWA as a utility player… third-team All-Big Ten selection at first base… semifinalist for the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award. 2015 — Iowa’s Friday night starting pitcher and the team’s starting first baseman when he wasn’t on the mound… hit a team-leading .337 (63-of-187) with 31 runs and 31 RBIs… had 11 doubles two triples and 34 walks… had hits in 39 games and reached safely in 47 contests… .337 average was 11th-best and .439 on-base percentage was fourth-best in Big Ten… .495 on-base percentage was second in Big Ten-only games and .388 average was fifth… had 18 multi-hit games (one four-hit, four three-hit, and 13 two-hit games) and seven multi-RBI contests… went 7-4 with a 3.03 ERA over 95 innings… had 74 strikeouts — seventh-most in Big Ten — against 24 walks… inning total ranked sixth in the Big Ten and tied for the seventh most in a single season in school history… ERA ranked 12th in the Big Ten… opened conference play with 14 1/3 innings of shutout ball… allowed one run or fewer in 10 starts… led the team with eight quality starts… had five games with at least five strikeouts and zero walks… went 4-2 with a 3.42 ERA in eight Big Ten starts… ranked in the top 14 in ERA (3.23), opposing batting average (.244), wins (4), and innings (52.2) in league play… tallied his seventh win, tossing 7 1/3 innings of one run ball against Oregon (5/29) in NCAA Regional play… scattered seven hits and had five strikeouts against zero walks… threw 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball against Ohio State (5/20) in the Big Ten Tournament, scattering eight hits and fanning seven… posted a .417 average (5-of-12) with two multi-hit games at Rutgers (5/14-16)… went 2-for-4 with a triple, three RBIs, and two runs score in game two against Minnesota (5/9)… notched his sixth victory, allowing three runs (one earned) on six hits over seven inning against Minnesota (5/8)… had five strikeouts to one walk… hit .462 (6-for-13) with five runs and four RBIs in three-game series at Michigan (5/1-3)… went 3-for-5 with a double, three runs, and two RBIs in series opener before going 3-for-5 with an RBI in finale… recorded his fifth victory, throwing 8 1/3 innings of one-run ball against Nebraska (4/26), scattering eight hits and tying a season-high with nine strikeouts… hit .500 (5-for-10) with three doubles in series vs. Northwestern (4/17-18)… notched fourth win, allowing one run on seven hits, while fanning seven in a 4-2 victory at Purdue (4/3)… hit .429 (6-of-14) with two runs and four RBIs in three-game series at Purdue (4/3-5)… went 3-for-5 hitting for himself in opener, and had two RBIs in games two and three… named Big Ten Player of the Week by College Sports Madness on March 31 and a CB360 Week 7 Primetime Performer after throwing a complete game shutout, scattering five hits and striking out five in a 2-0 victory over No. 19 Indiana… posted a .417 (5-of-12) average against No. 19 Indiana (3/27-29)… hit for himself in series opener, finishing 1-for-4 with an RBI… went 4-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs in series finale (3/29)… notched win No. 2, allowing one run on six hits over five innings with five strikeouts at Middle Tennessee (3/7)… hit .800 (4-for-5) in a pair of games against UALR (2/20) and Missouri State (2/21)… went 3-for-4 with an RBI in the 6-5 win over Missouri State… had the game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning… picked up his first victory against UALR, allowing one run on three hits… named to the Big Ten Players to Watch list.
2014 — Played in 38 games in the field with 37 starts at first base, while starting 14 games on the mound… was second on the team with a .331 (47-of-142) batting average with 28 RBIs and 23 runs… had nine doubles and belted a pair of home runs, while posting a .437 slugging and .402 on-base percentage… went 5-1 with a 4.86 ERA on the hill… allowed 43 runs (41 earned) over 76 innings, finishing with 45 strikeouts against 33 walks… limited hitters to a .266 batting average… finished eighth in the Big Ten in batting average (.331) and 10th in on-base percentage (.402)… hit .353 with runners in scoring position (18-of-51) and .431 (22-of-51) against southpaws… had a pair of hits (2-for-4) and scored a run in the Big Ten Tournament game against Indiana (5/21)… notched his fifth victory, allowing five runs (four earned) on 11 hits over five innings at Purdue (5/17)… hit .333 (3-of-9) with two home runs and six RBIs in two games against Ohio State (5/3-4)… went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored in game one, including belting his first career home run before finishing 1-for-5 with a career-high four RBIs in game two… hit a three-run homer, his second blast in as many games… hit .636 (7-of-11) with four RBIs and two runs scored against South Dakota State (4/25-26)… went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and one run in game two… had the game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the ninth… pitched 6 1/3 innings against Minnesota (4/20), allowing only three runs while striking out two before exiting with tightness in his lat muscle… pitched seven innings of one run ball against No. 24/28 Indiana (4/7), scattering five hits and striking out four in a no-decision… threw seven innings of one-run ball at Northwestern (4/12), scattering four hits and striking out three en route to his fourth victory… posted a .571 batting average at the Snowbird Classic with four runs and four RBIs… went 3-for-3 with three RBIs, two runs and two doubles in Iowa’s 13-1 win over Georgetown (3/15)… struck out a career-high 10 batters over 5 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on eight hits in Iowa’s 9-7 win over Saint Joseph’s (3/16) — his third win… was first Hawkeye since 2008 to strike out 10 batters in a single game… tallied first career victory after scattering three hits over eight innings in Iowa’s 7-1 victory over Nebraska Omaha (2/23)… didn’t allow a hit after the third inning and struck out six… pitched seven innnings, allowing two runs, against Furman (3/2) en route to his second-straight win… allowed four runs (three earned) over five innings in his first collegiate start at Austin Peay (2/16)… had four strikeouts in the outing.
At Iowa Central CC (2013) — First-team all-region selection… posted a 6-3 record with a 1.69 ERA… led the team in innings pitched (58 2/3), strikeouts (58) and opposing batting average (.141)… batted .358 with one home run and 38 RBIs… posted a .462 slugging percentage, .446 on-base percentage, had 62 hits, 28 doubles, 80 total bases and 27 walks.
High School — Member of the All-State Super Team as a senior… ISS Pitcher of the Year, captain of the INA Class 3A All-State team and Pizza Ranch Player of the Game in Class 3A State Championship game in 2012… played in the IHSBCA All-Star Series… two-time team captain… led Dallas Center Grimes to 2012 state championship and three-straight Raccoon River Conference titles… threw a four-hit, 13-strikeout shutout in the 2012 championship game against Decorah, leading the Mustangs to a 13-0 win and their first-ever state championship… three-time all-conference and all-district selection… three-time team MVP… earned all-state honors as a sophomore and second team all-state as a junior… went 10-0 with a 0.50 ERA with 124 strikeouts in leading DCG to a 36-2 record as a senior… also hit .471 with two home runs, 38 RBIs and 21 steals… batted .432 with eight home runs, 51 RBIs and 11 steals, while going 6-2 with a 1.68 ERA with 60 strikeouts as a junior… hit .417 with three home runs, 26 RBIs, four steals and was 7-1 with a 2.03 ERA with 53 punch outs as a sophomore… DCG went 88-16 from 2010-12 seasons… holds school records for hits (57), doubles (18), and triples (6) and RBIs (51) in a season… played for AAU ball for Oakview Park from 2004-08 and was on Perfect GAme Select teams in 2011-12… also was a two-time all-district wide receiver, and a two-time all-conference basketball player… holds record for points scored in a single season… high school coach was Byron Peyton.
Personal — Born March 31, 1994, in Ottumwa, Iowa… son of Byron and Jana Peyton… father played professional baseball in the Cincinnati Reds organization and played baseball and basketball collegiately at Buena Vista… mother played tennis at Buena Vista… has one younger sister, Jaci… majoring in sports studies.