Scholten to Start Saturday Night

June 12, 2025 - American Association (AA)
Sioux City Explorers News Release

SIOUX CITY, Iowa - The Sioux City Explorers have announced that J.D. Scholten will make his first start of the season Saturday night June 14 at Lewis and Clark Park in Sioux City against the Lincoln Saltdogs. Scholten is scheduled to start game two of the doubleheader for the Explorers. The Explorers and Saltdogs scheduled twin bill on Saturday night will begin at 5:05 p.m. with the gates opening at 4:00 p.m. Game two will follow approximately thirty minutes after game one on Saturday night at Lewis and Clark Park. Tickets for the J.D. Scholten game as well any Explorers game can be purchased online at XSBaseball.com, in person at the Lewis and Clark Park Box Office or by calling 712-277-WINS.

Scholten, 45, is a native of Sioux City and is a member of the Iowa House of Representatives, representing District 1 as a Democrat in the state legislature in Des Moines. The Scholten story captivated sports fans across the country last season when the then 44-year-old representative returned to the professional ranks on three hours' notice and tossed a quality start in his first start back with the team in 2024. He went out and threw 6.2 innings, surrendering two earned runs in a 11-2 win over the Milwaukee Milkmen on July 6, 2024.

Scholten would go on to make 11 starts during the season, finishing 6-2 with a 5.40 ERA across 60 innings where he struck out 29 and walked 28. Following his 2024 return to the Explorers, Scholten took the mound on July 11, 2024, and tossed another quality start, working six innings in a 3-0 win over the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks at Newman Outdoor Field in Fargo, North Dakota. He would go on to tie for the team lead in wins with six, for Sioux City. This season the right-hander was activated June 1 off the injured list and has made two appearances in relief for the Explorers. He has worked 2.1 innings allowing one earned run with a pair of strikeouts.

Scholten attended Morningside College, where he pitched and played first base for three years, and then he transferred to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to pitch for the Nebraska Cornhuskers as a senior. In 2002, he led the Cornhuskers in earned run average. He earned his degree from Nebraska in December 2003. He played baseball and basketball at East High School in Sioux City and was born in Ames. He began his pro career in 2003 and would spend parts of three seasons with the Explorers in 2004 and 2006 - 2007. Scholten made his return to professional baseball in 2023 playing in the Dutch League. Scholten, now in his sixth season wearing his hometown jersey, joins Nate Gercken as the only Explorers on the roster with six seasons of service time with Sioux City.

Scholten also has a connection to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. His game-worn jersey from his first start last season is now on display in Cooperstown, honoring his amazing accomplishment last season.

The Explorers will wrap up their three-game series with the Lake Country DockHounds tonight at Lewis and Clark Park with a first pitch at 7:05 p.m. and the gates opening at 6:00 p.m. Tonight is Thirsty Thursday at the ballpark with $2 specials on Busch Light and Coors Light and Pepsi products. The game can be heard on radio at KSCJ 94.9 FM and 1360 AM and the video stream will air on aabaseball.tv. Stay tuned to the Explorers social media channels and the club's website xsbaseball.com for all our news and updates.

Sioux City Explorers pitcher J.D. Scholten (Tim Tushla)

Sioux City Explorers pitcher J.D. Scholten greets a fan (Tim Tushla)

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