Iowa Baseball lands Utah transfer catcher Davis Cop
The Iowa Baseball coaching staff has been busy in the transfer portal since the season concluded. They have added several pitchers and now grab a bat from the portal. Utah C/1B Davis Cop has signed with the Hawkeyes and will add some much needed depth behind the plate.
Out of Valencia, CA, Cop was rated as the #427 player in the state and the #435 catcher in the country by Perfect Game. He was a California All-State selection as a senior at Valencia High School. Cop originally committed to play his college baseball with UC Santa Barbara, but opted to attend Gateway Community College in Arizona. After a year with the Geckos, Cop transferred to Utah, where he played the last two seasons.
As a sophomore at Utah in 2022, Davis was a PAC 12 Honorable Mention selection after batting .354, with seven doubles and three home runs over 35 starts for the Utes. He batted a team-best .367 in conference play.
This past season as a junior, Cop was named a preseason All-Pac 12 selection. He batted .300, with 11 doubles, ten home runs and 51 RBI’s over 52 starts. In conference play he batted .333 and was second on the team with 11 multi-RBI games. His top game of the season was a five hit, six RBI night against Utah Tech on April 25th. He also drove in a career-high seven runs at BYU on April 18th.
Over two seasons with the Utes, Cop started 87 games, including 79 starts at catcher and eight at first base this past season. That raises the question of where on the diamond the Iowa coaching staff plans to deploy the California native.
At catcher, Cade Moss returns after making 46 starts behind the plate and batting .261 with a .356 on-base percentage, as well as eight doubles and 22 RBI’s. At first base, Brennen Dorighi departs after spending his grad senior season with the Hawkeyes. Sophomore slugger Blake Guerin figured to be the first baseman in waiting, but with Cop added into the fold, the coaching staff could opt to put him at first base and move Guerin to a DH role. He would also still be able to give the team some much needed catching depth.
The addition of the Utah Ute transfer gives Iowa six transfers, while the other five will help Iowa on the mound. Sam Hart (Indian Hills), Ganon Archer (Kirkwood), Brant Hogue (Oklahoma State), Reece Beuter (Dallas Baptist) and Anthony Watts (Creighton) have all found a home with the Hawkeyes after entering the transfer portal.
