Junior shortstop Gable Mitchell has quietly become one of college baseball’s most consistent performers this season and is emerging as a sneaky pickup in the upcoming 2025 MLB draft. The 5-foot-9, 172-pound infielder is batting .343 with 70 hits, including five home runs while posting a .436 on-base percentage and slugging .500 through 50 games.
He has reached base via hit, walk or hit by pitch in every game this season, collecting at least one hit in 35 of them, drawing 29 walks and enduring six plunks. His 43 RBIs and 12 stolen bases rank him among the Big Ten leaders, and he has been caught stealing only twice.
Mitchell’s offensive game is built on bat-to-ball skills and discipline in a sport that increasingly values power metrics.
“Overall, I’d say I do have pretty good plate discipline and it definitely helps to understand the strike zone. You know what to swing at and what not to. That’s definitely going to lead to good things overall,” he said.
The Iowa City High product hit .293 with a .390 on-base mark and four homers last season while playing second base. This spring, he switched to shortstop, a role he filled throughout his prep career, and has posted a fielding percentage of .954 after recording 113 assists, 74 putouts and helping turn 26 double plays.
Mitchell’s family pedigree is storied in Hawkeye lore, too.
His father, Brian Mitchell, starred at Iowa and played for the Toronto Blue Jays organization. His grandfather, Dan Gable, won an Olympic gold medal and coached Iowa State to 15 NCAA wrestling championships. For Gable, though, carving out his path to the pros is still very much in play.
“We had such a new team this year, guys that are gritty and tough competitors, that we knew that if we strung some things together, we could be really good,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell’s emergence has been marked by standout performances, including four hits and five RBIs versus Western Illinois on March 15 and a home run against Oregon State on May 9. His mixture of gap power — sitting at 17 doubles — and timely speed has forced defenses to remain honest on every pitch.
Mitchell’s profile is a valuable mix of contact and athleticism, with scouts projecting him as a mid- to late-round selection with the potential to rise if he sustains his current pace. His quick hands, advanced approach and high-level IQ are traits that often surface later in pro development.
Even as draft buzz builds, Mitchell’s focus remains on helping Iowa chase its first Big Ten title since 2017 and securing an NCAA Tournament bid. The Hawkeyes sit atop the conference standings at 21-6 and will host a three-game series against fifth-ranked Oregon this weekend before heading into the final stretch of the season.
By handling his business at shortstop and producing consistently at the plate, Mitchell has positioned himself as a potential draft steal and a cornerstone for the Hawkeyes’ postseason push.
“Growing up, I would have told you the New York Yankees. I was definitely a Derek Jeter fan and just loved the pinstripes. Honestly, somewhere nice. Somewhere south. Wherever that would be,” Mitchell said regarding his dream MLB team.
