Joey Nerat has been making plays not only in the outfield, but in the batter’s box this season, his first with the Hawkeye program and first at the power conference level.
Nerat started his collegiate career at Dallas Baptist University. During his three seasons with the Patriots, Nerat appeared in 84 games, 59 of which he started.
Nerat hails from Campbellsport, Wisconsin, and opted to return to the Midwest. Wisconsin lacks a baseball team, but Iowa features a program Nerat always admired.
“Right out of high school, Iowa was my dream school to go to,” Nerat said. “I have always wanted to be a Hawkeye; this program has such a unique statute and standard, and I thank God for allowing me to have this opportunity.”
The transition to the Hawkeye program was an adjustment Nerat was prepared for, and thanks to the Iowa coaching staff, he found himself as the starter in left field.
“I am so thankful, and it’s a blessing to be here in Iowa City,” Nerat said. “The transition was different, but the coaches emphasized the idea of controlling the controlables, so having that in my mind has been a big help.”
In the first game of the 2026 season against Kansas State in the MLB Desert Invitational, Nerat appeared as a pinch hitter and was later substituted into left field. One game later, against Air Force at the same invitational, Nerat made his first Hawkeye start, earning three hits
in four at-bats that day.
Since then, Nerat has made 13 total starts and has played in all 15 games for the Hawkeyes. On the defensive side, Nerat has made an immediate impact with spectacular catches and has yet to make an error.
Against Lindenwood on March 7, Nerat laid out to grab a shallow line drive during the top of the fourth inning, helping Iowa maintain a two-run lead.
“He has been great and has been making big defensive plays all season long as a very good outfield player,” Iowa head coach Rick Heller said.
On the offensive side, Nerat has logged 46 at-bats this season so far with 16 hits, including seven doubles and one triple to his name.
While Nerat’s defensive prowess wouldn’t ultimately save Iowa in a 4-3 loss to Lindenwood, the outfielders played the hero at the plate the next day, hitting a walk-off sacrifice fly in the 10th inning to win the game and series for the Hawkeyes.
To his fellow teammates, Nerat has been an impactful player on both sides of the ball.
“Even outside of baseball, he is such a great dude; he is the guy you want in the locker room,” redshirt junior Kellen Strohmeyer said. “He leads by example and helps hold the guys accountable, and we all want to see him succeed and get these opportunities.”
As Iowa prepares for its home conference series opener against UCLA, Nerat continues to look for improvements both on offense and defense, while also just trying to be the best teammate he can be.
“There is a lot to work on, both defense and offense, from getting quicker jumps to the ball to handling failure and the mental side at the plate,” Nerat said. “But ultimately, having the Lord in your heart and knowing his plan is what really matters and has helped me become a better man and a better ball player.”