Former University of Minnesota Crookston and East Grand Forks Green Wave baseball player Jake Hjelle has signed a professional contract with the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks of the American Association. Hjelle was dressed for last night’s Redhawks game in Fargo, N.D., against the Kansas City Monarchs. 
Hjelle was a two-time All-NSIC First Team pick. He is the most decorated Golden Eagle in program history, a 2023 unanimous All-American, the 2023 NCBWA National Player of the Year, the 2023 D2CCA Regional Player of the Year, and 2023 NCBWA Regional Player of the Year. He was the 2023 NSIC Player of the Year. Hjelle was a career .341 hitter, with 188 runs scored, a school-record 61 home runs, and 207 RBIs.
Hjelle is the eighth former Golden Eagle to play professional baseball. He joins Zach Seipel (Danville Braves, Gulf Coast Braves, and Augusta Greenjackets), Matt Dallas (River City Rascals, Birmingham-Bloomfield Beavers, New Jersey Jackals, Jersey Wise Guys, and Boise Hawks), Will Zimmerman (Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks, Ottawa Titans, and Sussex County Miners), Paul Krebs (Kane County Cougars, and Idaho Falls Chukars), Jake Dykhoff (Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks), Conner Richardson (Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks), Zeke Hass (Tar Heel Kings, and Santa Fe Fuego), and Cody Pamperin (Plattsburgh Redbirds). Seipel and Krebs are the only to compete in the MLB minor league system, while the other six have played independent professional baseball.
Hjelle will be teammates with former Golden Eagle teammate Jake Dykhoff on the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks. Dykhoff is in his second season with the Redhawks. He has three innings pitched out of the bullpen in 2024.
