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Hayfield grad Easton Fritcher didn’t have to travel very far to get a fresh start.

After entering the transfer portal after two seasons with the University of Minnesota baseball program, Fritcher has committed to Division I University of Saint Thomas, which is located just three miles from the U of M. He has three years remaining in eligibility and he will receive scholarship funding with the Tommies.

“It’s super exciting to be part of something that is up and coming,” Fritcher said. “This is what I was looking for. Their campus is like a smaller town and this is what I was looking for. I’ll have an opportunity at the highest level and financially, they meet my needs.”

The Tommies went 22-24 overall this past season and they won their first Summit League championship as a DI program.

Fritcher did not appear in any games for the Gophers this past season, but he did play in 10 games as a freshman, when he hit .200 with two RBIs.

“The main thing I learned (at the U of M) was that I needed discipline and consistency. You have to put in the work every day, but with that being said, you also need opportunity,” Fritcher said. “I learned to be a good teammate with a different role and I guess I kind of developed a different personality to be a good teammate without playing.”

Fritcher is staying sharp this summer by playing with the Minnesota Mud Puppies, a Northwoods League Team that only plays road games. He is hitting .211, with an on-base percentage of .400 this summer as Fritcher is looking to get his swing going again.

“At any level you go, there are a lot of big fish and you’ve got to be the biggest fish to make it,” Fritcher said. “Now I’m begging for at bats and I’m getting my confidence back.”

Fritcher will likely play left field at Saint Thomas next spring and he may move to center field in the future. He may also see some time on the mound as a pitcher.

Fritcher was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.

Fritcher is majoring in Biology and he is looking to either be an athletic trainer or a physical trainer after college.

While at Hayfield, Fritcher was a vital part of a basketball team that won back-to-back Class A championships in 2021 and 2022 and he was the ace pitcher and top hitter on a baseball team that won the Class A state title in 2021 and took second in Class A in 2022.