Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from the Baseball Traveler newsletter, presented by Circle K, is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
The Iowa Baseball Camp for the Deaf, established by Iowa Cubs team photographer Dylan Heuer in 2015, took place in Des Moines from June 15-21 this year. It was the biggest iteration yet, offering 45 Deaf and Hard of Hearing kids ages 7-14 a place where, as Heuer puts it, "They could communicate freely, build confidence, develop friendships and feel a true sense of belonging."
This year's camp was highlighted by a collaboration with the USA Deaf Baseball team, who were in town to prepare for the 2026 World Deaf Baseball Championship (scheduled to take place in Japan this November). Heuer, who also serves as USA Deaf Baseball's visual media coordinator, wrote in an email, “There was something uniquely powerful about spending time with athletes who shared their lived experiences as Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals.”
Members of the Deaf National Team enthusiastically concurred with Heuer’s sentiments.
“The kids I was playing catch with, throwing batting practice to, shagging fly balls with -- that used to be me. It felt like a full circle moment,” wrote first baseman/centerfielder/pitcher Ben Daniel, who started his own Deaf baseball clinic in his home state of Utah. “The most meaningful part of the day came at lunch, when we had a chance to talk with the campers. We told them about ourselves and they asked us questions. It was a profound experience watching them realize what we are truly capable of accomplishing.”
“Baseball teaches them how to throw, hit and compete, but this camp gives them something even bigger -- a place where they feel seen, understood and empowered to dream without limits,” wrote third baseman Mitchell Bensman. “Seeing that confidence grow throughout the week reminds me that we're not just helping develop better ballplayers; we're helping inspire the next generation of Deaf leaders, athletes and role models.”
“Seeing the kids at this camp reminded me of what I needed when I was younger. It would have given me a sense of belonging, self-esteem and confidence that I did not fully find until years later, when I discovered my Deaf identity at Rochester Institute of Technology,” wrote general manager and head coach Jonny Furman.
Several Iowa Baseball Camp for the Deaf participants also served as bat boys and bat girls for the USA Deaf Baseball team during the latter’s three-game exhibition series against the Mid-Iowa Baseball League All-Stars. These games took place at Polk City’s Moeckly Ballfield, built in a cornfield for a “Field of Dreams” TV series that did not come to fruition.
Heuer noted that the games at Moeckly Ballfield “showcased a full-circle moment for the camp.” Bo Gerbracht, a camp participant from 2015-17 who is now a pitcher at Central College in Pella, Iowa, joined the USA Deaf Baseball team as a non-roster invitee.
“Gerbracht pitched in Game 2 and started in left field in Game 3, providing younger campers with a powerful example of what can be achieved through dedication and perseverance,” wrote Heuer. “He even impressed the team enough that they offered him a spot on the roster for Japan.”
“Having the opportunity to play with the USA Deaf Baseball team was awesome,” added Gerbract, “playing with teammates that share the same passion for baseball and face similar challenges.”
As in previous years, a camp highlight was ASL Night with the Iowa Cubs. This evening with the Triple-A Cubs affiliate features ASL-themed jerseys and campers signing -- as opposed to singing -- the national anthem and "Take Me Out to the Ballgame."
"More than 300 members of Iowa's Deaf and Hard of Hearing community attended the game, making it one of the largest Deaf community gatherings in the state each year," wrote Heuer.
The next morning, the campers returned to Principal Park for a morning of pick-up games as well as personalized instruction from I-Cubs players BJ Murray and Eric Yang. Each child was prominently displayed on the videoboard as they hit, fielded and ran on the field. Heuer remarked that this was one of many "memorable experiences that the children will never forget" and this, of course, is the point.
"IBCD has evolved into much more than a baseball camp. It has become a community, and a place where children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing can develop confidence, friendships and a lifelong love for the game."
These campers will surely be rooting for the USA Deaf Baseball Team when they compete in the World Deaf Baseball Championship in November.
“Our team's potential is limitless,” wrote Bensman. “If we keep pushing ourselves mentally and physically, and if we focus on building unbreakable chemistry on and off the field, nothing can stand in our way. We have everything it takes to come out on top and bring home the gold!”