Several former St. Thomas baseball players, including Tyler Peterson and Tommy Danczyk, have been pursuing professional baseball careers with teams such as the St. Paul Saints.

Peterson, who graduated in 2014, played first base and outfield for the Saints this summer. He said he has been playing since he was 3 or 4 years old and has always had a desire to play professionally.

“Baseball was always just my first love,” Peterson said. “I wanted to play what I was passionate about. I devoted a lot of time and effort to it, and I got pretty good at it.”

Now, Peterson is also a hitting instructor at a facility in Chanhassen and a coach at St. Thomas.

Another 2014 graduate, Tommy Danczyk, also played for the Saints as a relief pitcher. He said he was ecstatic about the chance to play after graduation.

“It has always been a dream to get to play pro ball, and so when I got the opportunity to live that dream for a little bit, it was not really even a decision if I was going to play,” Danczyk said. “It was a short stint, but one of the greatest experiences of my life.”

While Danczyk is considering free agency and isn’t sure if he will play for the Saints again, he said he is training with a mindset to play somewhere professionally in the spring. His contract with the Saints expired at the end of the season, so he currently works as a production supervisor for Pepsi in Burnsville, Minnesota.

The tie goes beyond recent graduates, however. Coach Chris Olean graduated in 1999 and made that year’s Division-III World Series All-Tournament team. After the Milwaukee Brewers drafted him that same year, Olean bounced around the minor leagues before signing with the Saints.

Olean said playing ball professionally is something most players dream of.

“That was my ultimate goal; I wanted to get drafted and signed and play at the highest level I could,” Olean said. “It’s something you work for from the time you are 6 years old.”

Current St. Thomas pitcher Colin Wendinger said he aims to play professionally after college and believes Olean has been beneficial in his personal development as a ball player.

“He brings with him the experience from having played professionally and is very knowledgeable when it comes to pitching,” Wendinger said.

According to Olean, drafting is an inexact science. Scouts covertly watch players throughout the season, then turn in names of the best prospects to their teams. Olean said each organization is different, but usually the player gets a phone call to be drafted and can sign a contract with the team.

Danczyk said the Saints called him and sent him a contract, and he met up with the team the next day. Similarly, Peterson got a call from the Saints, went in for workouts and signed when a roster spot opened up. Catcher J.D. Dorgan, another 2014 graduate, also played professionally for the Joliet Slammers of the Frontier League this summer.

Both Peterson and Danczyk said their time at St. Thomas made a difference.

“(The coaches) helped me get better,” Peterson said. “They taught me what it takes to make sure to play at the highest level every single day.”

For those who want to play professionally, Olean has a few pieces of advice.

“Make sure you like it … the work can turn into a little bit of a job if you play for a while,” Olean said. “I think it’s just important to remember that you are there for a reason and just continue to be good at what you’re good at, do well what you do well.”

Lauren Smith can be reached at smit7607@stthomas.edu.