Iowa pitcher/receiver Brody Brecht stepping away from football to focus on baseball
Ankeny native has huge potential as a hard-throwing pitcher
By Pat Harty
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Brody Brecht loves football and the sport has been good to him as a receiver.
He earned a scholarship from the Iowa football team and showed flashes in limited playing time this past season.
But Brecht is also a rising star as a pitcher in baseball, as he showed by tying his career-high with 10 strikeouts against Western Michigan on Friday, and he has now decided to focus solely on baseball.
Brecht announced on Twitter shortly after leading the Iowa baseball team to a 9-3 victory over Western Michigan as the Friday starter that he was stepping away from football to “focus full-time on my collegee baseball career.”
The sophomore from Ankeny called football his first love, but said that baseball has become his passion, and it’s easy to see why considering the potential the 6-foot-4, 217-pound Brecht has as a pitcher.
Brecht has a fastball that has consistently been clocked at over 100 miles per hour, and he figures to be selected high in the amateur baseball draft when his time comes.
He struggled last season with his control, but Brecht is now consistently throwing strikes as evidenced by his performance as the Friday starter.
“In his first home game outing, Brody gave us a legitimate Friday night start,” said Iowa coach Rick Heller. “He’s been more consistent and gaining more confidence each time out. Brody threw a bunch of strikes tonight and was un-hittable at times.”
Brecht reportedly turn downed a significant amount of money coming out Ankeny High School to pursue his dream of being a two-sport athlete at the University of Iowa.
Brecht has been slowed by injuries since he started as a two-sport athlete at Iowa.
His decision to step away from football could help to fix that problem since he won’t be trying to juggle two sports, including one that is violent.
Brecht’s decision leaves the Iowa football even more thin at receiver, but it’s a key development for the Iowa baseball team, which improved to 17-3 with the victory over Western Michigan.
“I want to be great in baseball and hope to play Major League baseball in the future,” Brecht said his statement.
God’s Plan🙏 pic.twitter.com/i7VMzYZXUt
— Brody Brecht (@brody_brecht) March 25, 2023
