The college baseball postseason is here, with some conference and national tournaments starting this weekend, May 16-18. Here are 10 former southeastern Minnesota high school standouts who are now turning heads at the college level.
Joe Sperry, University of Minnesota
Junior right-handed pitcher Joe Sperry is in his first season with the Gophers after transferring from junior college University of South Carolina-Lancaster, where he spent his freshman and sophomore years.
The 2022 Lourdes grad and 2022 Post Bulletin Player of the Year has seen the second-most innings pitched for 22-27 Minnesota. Sperry is 4-2 with a 5.19 ERA through 19 appearances (four starts) and has allowed 50 hits, 32 runs across 52 innings with 36 strikeouts.
The Big Ten Conference baseball tournament will be held May 20-25 in Omaha, Neb.
Last year, Sperry spent the summer with the Rochester Honkers (Northwoods League), where he played in eight games and threw 27â…“ innings with 29 strikeouts.
Joe Sperry.
Contributed / University of Minnesota Athletics
Austin Klug, Purdue University
Purdue junior pitcher Austin Klug, a 2022 Caledonia grad, had a solid first season with the 30-21 Boilermakers after spending two years at North Iowa Area Community College. Klug put up a 6.75 ERA through 14 appearances (two starts), allowing 22 hits and holding opponents to a .278 average with 15 strikeouts.
Austin Klug.
Contributed / Purdue University Athletics
Brevin Goetz, Gustavus Adolphus College
Senior right-handed pitcher Brevin Goetz had an impressive regular season with the Golden Gusties.
The Mayo grad is the team’s top pitcher, going 5-0 with a 3.10 ERA through 51⅓ innings pitched. Goetz held opponents to a .241 average with 48 strikeouts for the Gusties, who are 36-7 and were recently crowned winners of the 2025 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Playoff Championship game for the first time in program history.
Gustavus will host the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, University of Chicago and Beloit College in an NCAA Division III baseball regional May 16-18. The Gusties take on Beloit in their first game of the double-elimination regional at 1:30 p.m. Friday, May 16.
Brevin Goetz.
Contributed / Gustavus Adolphus College Athletics
Sam Schneider, Gustavus Adolphus College
Another southeastern Minneota native on the Gusties is Lourdes grad Sam Schneider. The junior catcher boasts a .306 average with 33 hits, one homer, eight doubles and 19 RBIs through 42 appearances and 108 at-bats.
Sam Schneider.
Contributed / Gustavus Adolphus College athletics
Derek Lilledahl, Will VanEpps, Brady Koeppel and Spencer Wright, Minnesota State University, Mankato
Derek Lilledahl (senior pitcher, Triton), Will VanEpps (freshman pitcher, Kenyon-Wanamingo), Brady Koeppel (sophomore catcher, St. Charles) and Spencer Wright (senior pitcher, Winona High) all play for Minnesota State University, Mankato, which recently took home the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) baseball tournament title.
Wright holds a 5.57 ERA in 14 appearances for the Mavs and limits opposing hitters to a .231 average. At the plate, Koeppel bats .500 through seven appearances and two at-bats with a 1.000 slugging percentage. As for fielding, Koeppel notched four putouts on four chances.
The 49-6 Mavericks host the Central Regional of the NCAA Division II national tournament, which begins Thursday, May 15. MSU, Mankato plays Arkansas Monticello in the double elimination regionals at 6 p.m. on Thursday
Easton Fritcher, University of St. Thomas
The 2021 Post Bulletin Player of the Year and Hayfield grad, Easton Fritcher transferred from Minnesota to the University of St. Thomas, in St. Paul, last summer. Fritcher, a junior pitcher/outfielder, has appeared in 30 games (pitching in one) for the 27-20 Tommies. He bats .270 with 14 hits, five doubles, one triple, two homers and 11 RBIs.
The Summit League Tournament is scheduled for May 21-24 in Omaha, Neb.
Easton Fritcher.
Contributed / University of St. Thomas Athletics
Ian Regal, Butler University
Mayo grad and Butler University redshirt freshman pitcher has yet to appear in a game this season for the 14-37 Bulldogs after he transferred from the University of Nebraska last spring. With the Spartans, he was named Big Nine Conference Player of the Year with all-conference, all-state and all-area accolades.
Ian Regal.
Contributed / Butler University Athletics, Zach Bolinger
Madeline Warren is a sports reporter for the Post Bulletin. A midwesterner through and through, Madeline grew up in Lansing, Mich. She is a proud graduate of Michigan State University, where she earned her journalism degree in 2023. Readers can reach Madeline at 507-285-7724 or mwarren@postbulletin.com.