Opening Day for Major League Baseball’s 2026 season saw a lot of new faces making it to the big leagues, including relief pitcher Carter Baumler, a Dowling Catholic graduate who learned he made the Opening Day roster in a special way on Monday. During the top of the fifth inning of the Texas Rangers’ spring training game against the Kansas City Royals, Rangers manager Skip Schumaker walked to the mound to speak with Carter Baumler after he retired the first two hitters. His parents were watching the scene from the stands.Watching from the stands, Baumler’s parents, Brad and Mary Lynn, weren’t sure what was happening at first.“We weren’t sure what to think. We didn’t know what he was going to say,” said Brad Baumler, Carter’s father. “All of a sudden, we saw the smiles and the announcers and what they were talking about. We knew at that point he got the nod and he was going to the big leagues.” “We came to tears,” said Mary Lynn Baumler, Carter’s mother. “This has been such a dream for him.” Carter Baumler quickly returned his focus to the game, striking out the next hitter to finish a perfect inning Monday night.“I thought I would check in with him Tuesday morning, and I said,’Good morning. How was your first sleep as a big leaguer?” recalled Mary Lynn Baumler. “He replies back, ‘Haha. I didn’t sleep, mom’. I thought that was so cute.” For his family, the moment was years in the making.Like his older and younger brothers, Carter Baumler has played sports since he was 6 years old. His father says his drive and talent for baseball started to show not too long after that. “I remember him throwing a kid out trying to steal, and one of the parents, he’s like, ‘Man, did you see that arm?’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, I saw it.’ It kind of really stuck with me a little bit after that,” said Brad Baumler. That potential kept growing, especially when Carter Baumler started playing for Dowling Catholic High School his freshman year. “He’s already throwing balls in the high 80s, low 90s. It was kind of evident that that was the path he was going to go,” said Brad Baumler. He played all four years at Dowling Catholic before being selected 133rd overall by the Baltimore Orioles organization in the 2020 MLB Draft.Even as he continued to work hard and grow, Brad and Mary Lynn Baumler say he remained grounded. When he returned to central Iowa, he would often stop by to help younger players from either his baseball club or high school team. “He just has such a big heart,” said Mary Lynn Baumler. “He just wants to see them have as much success and fun as he has.” His parents say his attention to detail is key to his growth, helping him know what to master. “I think that’s the reason he’s where he is today — not only the work ethic and the determination,” said Brad Baumler. “I just kept telling him: trust in God’s plan and your time is coming,” said Mary Lynn Baumler. That time did come. Baumler is on the Texas Rangers’ Opening Day roster, marking the latest milestone in a journey built on patience, discipline, family and faith.His parents say he stayed true to himself while enjoying the game he loves. “I remember just a week or two back he goes, ‘Dad, I’m just going out there to perform and I’m doing what I loved to do,’” recalled Brad Baumler. “And then he goes, ‘This is a lot of fun.’” » Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play

DES MOINES, Iowa —

Opening Day for Major League Baseball’s 2026 season saw a lot of new faces making it to the big leagues, including relief pitcher Carter Baumler, a Dowling Catholic graduate who learned he made the Opening Day roster in a special way on Monday.

During the top of the fifth inning of the Texas Rangers’ spring training game against the Kansas City Royals, Rangers manager Skip Schumaker walked to the mound to speak with Carter Baumler after he retired the first two hitters. His parents were watching the scene from the stands.

Watching from the stands, Baumler’s parents, Brad and Mary Lynn, weren’t sure what was happening at first.

“We weren’t sure what to think. We didn’t know what he was going to say,” said Brad Baumler, Carter’s father. “All of a sudden, we saw the smiles and the announcers and what they were talking about. We knew at that point he got the nod and he was going to the big leagues.”

“We came to tears,” said Mary Lynn Baumler, Carter’s mother. “This has been such a dream for him.”

Carter Baumler quickly returned his focus to the game, striking out the next hitter to finish a perfect inning Monday night.

“I thought I would check in with him Tuesday morning, and I said,’Good morning. How was your first sleep as a big leaguer?” recalled Mary Lynn Baumler. “He replies back, ‘Haha. I didn’t sleep, mom’. I thought that was so cute.”

For his family, the moment was years in the making.

Like his older and younger brothers, Carter Baumler has played sports since he was 6 years old. His father says his drive and talent for baseball started to show not too long after that.

“I remember him throwing a kid out trying to steal, and one of the parents, he’s like, ‘Man, did you see that arm?’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, I saw it.’ It kind of really stuck with me a little bit after that,” said Brad Baumler.

That potential kept growing, especially when Carter Baumler started playing for Dowling Catholic High School his freshman year.

“He’s already throwing balls in the high 80s, low 90s. It was kind of evident that that was the path he was going to go,” said Brad Baumler.

He played all four years at Dowling Catholic before being selected 133rd overall by the Baltimore Orioles organization in the 2020 MLB Draft.

Even as he continued to work hard and grow, Brad and Mary Lynn Baumler say he remained grounded. When he returned to central Iowa, he would often stop by to help younger players from either his baseball club or high school team.

“He just has such a big heart,” said Mary Lynn Baumler. “He just wants to see them have as much success and fun as he has.”

His parents say his attention to detail is key to his growth, helping him know what to master.

“I think that’s the reason he’s where he is today — not only the work ethic and the determination,” said Brad Baumler.

“I just kept telling him: trust in God’s plan and your time is coming,” said Mary Lynn Baumler.

That time did come.

Baumler is on the Texas Rangers’ Opening Day roster, marking the latest milestone in a journey built on patience, discipline, family and faith.

His parents say he stayed true to himself while enjoying the game he loves.

“I remember just a week or two back he goes, ‘Dad, I’m just going out there to perform and I’m doing what I loved to do,’” recalled Brad Baumler. “And then he goes, ‘This is a lot of fun.’”

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» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play