Omodt's Hard Work Paves Way for UMD Baseball Commitment

Paul Omodt has a hard time wagering a guess on just how many hours he and his son, senior Nick Omodt, have spent in the backyard taking batting practice. It’s just too many to count.

Five years ago, Paul and a fellow coach installed a 70-foot long, 12-foot wide, 12-foot high batting cage behind the house so his children and their friends could enjoy some extra time playing ball. The pastime became a constant parade of live pitching, soft toss and tee work.

“I’m sure the neighbors don’t like looking at it,” Paul joked. “But it is what it is.”

What the Omodts might not have realized five years ago is how it would help open the doors for Nick’s future.

, ensuring he will continue to play the game he loves after he finishes up his senior season with the Hornets baseball team this spring.

Nick became a pivotal member of Edina’s team a year ago, finishing with a .450 batting average and a .558 on-base percentage while earning All-Lake Conference honors. He’ll be a team captain as a senior.

For Nick, who began playing baseball competitively at age 6, knowing he’ll play college ball is a dream come true.

“It’s something I’ve worked really hard for,” Nick said. “I thought I wanted to do this for a long time.”

Nick’s path to UMD has been a constant work in progress—a journey that included proving himself on the field and in the backyard time and time again.

He began baseball in the St. Louis Park program and played there until transferring to Edina during his sophomore year. Due to transfer rules, Nick couldn’t play on varsity that season but decided it would be his mission to make the American Legion team that summer.

Breaking onto a new team as one of the youngest on the squad wasn’t easy, but Nick said he knew how difficult that task would be. He used it as motivation.

“I know when Nick went to tryouts in Edina, it was a daunting proposition for him,” Paul said. “It was out of his comfort zone.”

Paul said Nick split time between the Legion squad and the Babe Ruth club, and was tasked with earning playing time beginning as a pinch runner.

“It really kind of earned the respect of people,” Paul said. “He started pinch running, late-inning mop up time and made himself invaluable. I think that’s a life skill really, to put yourself in a difficult situation and come out on top.”

His Legion success opened the door to a successful junior year with the Hornets. Now, Nick looks to make a similar transition to the Bulldogs program next year.

“Having to give it my all, that definitely motivated me to try and work harder and harder,” Nick said.

Nick won’t be the only Lake Conference player joining UMD next year. Wayzata’s Jake Steinbach—son of former Twins catcher Terry Steinbach—also signed with the Bulldogs.

“These two are both talented offensively, and have a mental toughness that’s going to be a benefit when they get to this level,” UMD coach Bob Reints said in a release. “We’re excited to work with them here and make them the same sort of go-to players here that they’ve become at the high school level.”

For Nick, it will be a similar path. One that began hour after hour in the batting cage and ended in Duluth.

It will be a quick road trip for the Omodts who, like all those years in the backyard, will be there watching him play.

“I think it would have killed my wife and I if we wouldn’t be able to go see him play anymore,” Paul said. “Watching our kids is a big part of our lives.”