On July 25, 2025, the Iowa High School baseball season came down to its final game: the 4A state championship against Bettendorf High School. There is no higher level of high school baseball competition in the state of Iowa.
Then Kirkwood commit and current Eagle Jaxton Schroeder stole the show.
Schroeder started the game on the mound for City High, and across seven innings the left-hander allowed just one run.
The complete game sealed the victory for City High, and the momentum looked to carry over into Schroeder’s collegiate career at Kirkwood.
“After winning that and throwing a complete game in the championship you almost feel on top of the world,” said Schroeder. “I threw tired, I threw weak and I found ways to get outs. Nothing is ever going to be perfect, but how you respond is the key.”
But that momentum did not go according to plan.
Just as baseball training started to go underway, during a fall outing on the mound Schroeder felt something odd in his arm.
“I had a similar pain the year before that got better with time off throwing, so that’s what I did,” said Schroeder. “When that didn’t work and my pain and tingling stayed, I knew that this was different and was going to have to meet with a surgeon.”
It turns out that Schroeder needed to have his ulnar nerve moved, which is called a transposition. Back in November the surgery time was scheduled, and that subsequently put an end to his true-freshman season.
“Most athletes at this level have dealt with some form of injury and have accepted it’s a part of high-level athletics,” said Levi Wade, athletic trainer for Kirkwood Athletics as well as the Cedar Rapids Roughriders athletic trainer. “Most athletes stay motivated by seeing the progress they make in their recovery with the end goal of returning to full participation.”
As for Schroeder, he has taken pride in his rehab process. On the mental side he has said that he’s done well with it. Though that does not make the injury process easy.
“I knew I wouldn’t be playing this year,” stated Schroeder. “It’s hard to watch when you know you want to and could be out there competing, but you just have to do what you can in order to help the team.”
Schroeder gave big thanks to his support system for helping him navigate with his injury.
“There are countless people who have helped me through this, whether it be coaches, my PT people, but especially my mom. She took care of me after the surgery and made food for me to take back to my apartment. She’s always a call away and wants the absolute best for me.”
Schroeder will return for the 2026-2027 season as a redshirt freshman and will be getting his first taste of collegiate baseball.
