By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – My biggest takeaway from the 2026 Big Ten Baseball Tournament, besides the fact that UCLA is really good, is that Iowa pitcher Kyle Alivo has incredible stuff, maybe even star potential on the mound.

One of the benefits from having watched the Big Ten Tournament on television is that it presented an up-close view of the pitchers from behind the mound.

From that viewing angle, it’s much easier to see the movement and location of pitches, and how a pitcher works the plate from side to side, and from top to bottom.

Alivo did all those things brilliantly in a 4-3 loss to Michigan State last Wednesday in Omaha, Nebraska. The Franklin, Wisconsin native pitched 5 2/3 innings in relief, allowing just one run, striking out seven and scattering seven hits.

His fastball was clocked consistently in the mid-90s and his slider was unhittable at times.

Alivo was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team after posting a 3.72 ERA in 16 appearances this season, including two starts, while recording four wins on the mound in his debut season. He also recorded a team-high 67 strikeouts in 51 2/3 innings.

He was also a semifinalist for the 2026 John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award.

Alivo had eight hits in 28 plate appearances this season, including four doubles and one home run.

And though also a talented hitter and capable infielder, Alivo’s future is obviously on the mound where he has immense potential.

The question is will his future be at Iowa?

Because you can be certain that other schools with deep NIL pockets and few spending guard rails will come calling, and probably already have began their pursuit of Alivo, who will be a third-year sophomore next season.

Iowa is the school that stuck with Alivo after he had Tommy John surgery as a high school senior, and is where he also has spent the past two seasons developing his skills and building relationships.

That has to mean something.

But will it be enough?

Iowa will surely do whatever it can from an NIL standpoint to entice Alivo into staying.

But there is only so much that Iowa can do from a financial standpoint if some of the traditional powers were to start a bidding war.

The Hawkeye homer, and the traditionalist in me hopes that Alivo stays at Iowa and continues to develop under the watchful eye of head coach Rick Heller and pitching coast Wes Obermueller.

It’s easy, though, telling somebody else what to do, when in reality, Alivo faces a difficult decision.

He likes Iowa or he wouldn’t already have stayed for two seasons.

And there’s a lot to like, even more so now with the facilities being upgraded.

Heller has built a culture at Iowa that is highly respected, and that has helped to sustain a level of consistency.

Alivo recently made a guest appearance on the Hawk Fanatic radio show and podcast and he spoke glowingly about the Iowa culture, and about the respect and admiration he has for his teammates and coaches.

But again, the competition for the 6-foot-1, 177-pound Alivo will be stiff.

Former Iowa pitcher Brody Brecht, with his 100-mile per hour fastball, could’ve have left Iowa for greener pastures, but he stayed the course until he became draft eligible and now he’s climbing up the ranks in the minor leagues.

If Alivo were to go somewhere else to play next season, it would certainly be a gut-punch, but also a sign of the times.

It wouldn’t be a reason to dislike or criticize Alivo because he has to do what he feels is in his best interest, short-term and long-term.

He already has dealt with a serious injury, so he understands that there are no guarantees in baseball.

Alivo has worked hard, physically and mentally, to reach this point as a Hawkeye, and now his future looks very promising as he will be eligible for the 2027 Major League Draft.

It’s just a matter of where his future will take him next season.