College Baseball Recruiting: Minnesota, Iowa, Dakotas
Get guided 1-on-1 help, go DIY, or start building your network as a serious recruit. Ross Hawley played at Augustana and built connections across the region.
97 programs · 412 coaches on staff · 7 divisions
Programs in Upper Midwest
Complete data for every college baseball program in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Click a school to see its overview, insights, program results, links, coaching staff, and roster breakdown.
Browse college baseball schools in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
- University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
- North Dakota State University
- Augustana University
- Minnesota State University-Mankato
- Iowa Western Community College
- Luther College
- South Dakota State University
- University of Iowa
- University of St Thomas
See all MN/IA/ND/SD programs Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota
Why JUCO baseball is a smart path in the Upper Midwest
For many players in Minnesota, Iowa, and the Dakotas, junior college is not a fallback. It is a development accelerator: more reps, more practice time, and more room to physically mature. Junior college coaches develop raw talent, while many four-year programs recruit finished products.
Junior college also makes the academic and financial side more manageable. Tuition is much lower than at most four-year schools, and players can focus on baseball while handling foundational coursework. A player who is behind academically can catch up, earn an associate degree, and transfer to a four-year school as a qualifier.
Under the 5-for-5 rule, a player can play two years of junior college and still have three years left at a four-year school, at any level. The path may have more than one stop, and each move is a new recruitment. Prospect List Mentorship keeps Ross in your corner at every stop.
See all Upper Midwest JUCOs Minnesota NJCAA D1, Minnesota NJCAA D2, Minnesota NJCAA D3, Iowa NJCAA D1, Iowa NJCAA D2, Iowa NJCAA D3, North Dakota NJCAA D1, North Dakota NJCAA D2, North Dakota NJCAA D3, South Dakota NJCAA D1, South Dakota NJCAA D2, South Dakota NJCAA D3
Your recruiting path
Browse the four-state list
See every program in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota, with each school's coaching staff, tuition and cost, roster breakdown, and last season's record.
Browse MN/IA/ND/SD schools Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South DakotaBuild your network
Not a senior yet? Use Prospect List Membership to build your network. A senior or a transfer? Use it as your do-it-yourself plan.
$14.99/mo or $149/yr
Become a MemberGet Ross in your corner
Seniors, transfers, and families who want an advocate: a guided plan puts Ross Hawley in your corner. He works with coaches on your behalf.
Premium $1,449 · Mentorship $2,849
See Premium and Mentorship
Meet Ross Hawley
I played at Augustana. My baseball connections across Minnesota, Iowa, and the Dakotas still run through the coaches I played with and against. Families on a guided plan get an advocate and access to a deep network of coaches.
Families Ross has helped
Working with Ross Hawley and Baseball Forward was an absolute blessing for us during my son's college recruiting process. It can be hard to standout and it was awesome to have Ross's rolodex, connections, and expertise to guide us through this process which made a stressful situation a lot less stressful. Reagan Family Son committed to Southern Nazarene University — Class of '26
Ross was instrumental in guiding my son through the college baseball process. He took the time to coach and mentor him, while also leveraging his network to connect him with the right college coaches. His knowledge of the game and the recruiting landscape made a real difference, and his genuine investment in my son's success meant everything to our family. May Family Son committed to University of St Thomas — Class of '26
Ross immediately calmed the anxiety for our family. His first step was to get to know Cam as a person, not just a bunch of baseball statistics. Ross dug into what Cam was looking for in a college program. After that first meeting, we left already connected with one of the coaches in Ross's network. Salmela Family Son committed to St. Mary's University — Class of '26
MN/IA/ND/SD recruiting questions
When should a Minnesota, Iowa, or Dakotas player start recruiting?
Start building your network in high school, so you have a baseball resume and established connections with coaches at the programs you are interested in. Start learning the recruiting process early, too, so you are ready for each next step.
How do college coaches find players?
Coaches find players mainly through their own camps, their connections, and their network on X (formerly Twitter). That is why it is important to start building your X network early and to have an advocate who can help you get in the door.
Is junior college a good path, or should we aim for a four-year school?
Both can be the right fit. Junior college gives a player two years to develop, play, and improve grades before moving to a four-year program. A four-year school makes sense when the level, academics, and cost already fit. The best list includes both, chosen by fit rather than name.
How does Baseball Forward help with recruiting?
In three steps. First, education: browse programs and free resources to learn about the schools and the recruiting process. Second, Prospect List Membership gives you full data access, a favorites list, the recruiting guide, and communication templates. Younger players use it to build a network, and seniors and transfers can use it to run the process themselves. Third, Premium and Mentorship are guided plans where Ross Hawley becomes your advocate with college coaches and makes 1:1 introductions. Prices are on the pricing page.
Why does having an advocate help?
Coaches get more emails than they can read, and a word from someone they know gets attention. An advocate who knows the game can tell a coach honestly where a player fits, and tell a family which schools are realistic. That is what Ross does in Premium and Mentorship, usually once a player is a senior or transfer, or when doing it yourself is not leading to coach conversations.
How is Ross Hawley connected to the Upper Midwest?
Ross played at Augustana University. The network he uses for families in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota still runs through the coaches he played with and against.
Your Upper Midwest recruiting partner
Become a Prospect List Member to reach these coaches yourself, or have Ross work with them as your advocate.