Four Wylie baseball players saw their dreams come true this past fall, when they signed letters of intent to play college ball.
“It’s a big day for these four young men,” Coach Huge Sandifer said at a ceremony to celebrate the signings. “We are proud of you for what you have accomplished.
All four, Hutton Frazier, Zach Smith, Tyler Henson and Bryce Gist were part of the Wylie baseball team that won a state championship this past summer. Hutton, Zach and Bryce will play for Midland College. Tyler will play for Blinn College.
“These guys have played a huge role in the success that we’ve had,” Coach Clay Martin said. “They are going to continue to do that in baseball. They are great young men.”
Hutton Frazier
Hutton will pitch for Midland College, which he sees as a stepping stone to bigger things.
“For me, this is the next step toward making that big jump in baseball,” he said. “I hope to go on from Midland to a D1 school.”
Hutton, who plans to major in accounting, said he chose Midland because of the environment.
I love the campus,” he said. “It’s a lot bigger than you think. I like the coaches.”
Hutton said playing with two of his Wylie teammates makes the signing extra special.
“It really is a dream come true,” he said. “They are my best friends. It’s amazing.”
Bryce Gist
Bryce, who will play 1st base for Midland College, said the Midland program seemed like the perfect place for him.
“I just thought it was a great fit for me,” he said. “I like the coaches and the program. It felt right for me.”
He said the fact that his teammates are going to Midland as well was important to him.
“It means a ton,” he said. “Just to get to go to Midland is a blessing but to get to go with two of my best friends is something special.
He hasn’t decided on a major yet, but getting to continue baseball past high school is a dream come true.
“It’s been a dream of mine since I was a little kid,” he said. “I want to continue baseball as long as I possibly can.”
Zach Smith
Zach chose Midland College for one simple reason – his friends.
“Hutton and Ryan had a huge influence on my decision,” he said. “They were my sole reason. I have a brotherhood with them. I’ve played baseball with Hutton since we were in Little League.”
But Zach said he also liked the college once he saw it.
“I really like it there,” he said. “It had a great atmosphere and a great environment.”
Zach hasn’t decided on a major yet, and he isn’t sure if he will play shortstop or 2nd base or pitch or all three. Like the others, he hopes that Midland is a training ground for future possibilities.
“It’s a stepping stone,” he said.
Zach is also a standout football player, who quarterbacked the Wylie Bulldogs to the state championship game this past December. But he said baseball is his first love.
“Baseball stole my heart around 5th grade,” he said. “I fell in love with it. I always wanted to play. It wasn’t much of a tough chose. I enjoy playing football, but I don’t really want to play football in the next round.”
Tyler Henson
Tyler chose Blinn College because of the success that the program has had over the last few years.
“They are always really ranked high,” he said. “That was a huge part of making my decision. But I also really liked the campus.”
He expects to pitch for Blinn, but he hasn’t decided on a major yet.
He said he has loved baseball since he started playing back in T-ball, and he had hoped to keep playing in college.
“I always dreamed of it,” he said. “It was always the goal.”
Before the four Wylie stars can move on to college, however, they have one final season as Wylie Bulldogs. They hope to lead the team back to the state championship this year.