Sean Arbaut/MSU athletics Minot State senior catcher Dustin Wilcox takes a swing at the ball. Wilcox will graduate from MSU later this month.

Dustin Wilcox called the signals for a historic pitching performance in February, but the Minot State senior catcher did not realize the contest’s significance until it was over. As Wilcox helped junior right-hander Noah Myhre hit his spots, their teammates kept quiet.

They did not want to spoil the fun.

In their first game working as a tandem, Wilcox caught Myhre’s seven-inning no-hitter at Missouri Western State. Myhre struck out seven batters, walked just two and captured his first win of the season.

“That was a really fun game from start to finish,” Wilcox said. “We just had every pitch working. He was working every pitch, every corner. He was blowing fastballs by people and making them look silly with the off-speed (pitches). It was just a lot of fun.”

The no-hitter capped off an MSU sweep in a doubleheader. These days, Wilcox laughs when he thinks about the Beavers’ silent treatment.

“As soon as you say something, it’s game over,” he said.

Before Wilcox became a catcher, he roamed the outfield and played first base. While playing in the Gopher State Baseball League in his hometown of Big Lake, Minnesota, a teammate became tired of catching.

A year before he began playing American Legion baseball, Wilcox made the switch.

“They wanted to throw somebody else back there,” he said. “I said, ‘Well, I’ll give it a try.’ It’s kind of stuck with me ever since.”

During his senior year of high school, Wilcox returned to catching after another catcher left the team. Wilcox’s coaches knew he had experience at the position, so they asked him to strap up his gear.

“They said, ‘You’ve caught before, right?'” Wilcox said. “So they threw me back there again. I didn’t mind it. As long as I got to play baseball, I was happy.”

A strong offensive season during his senior year set the table for a successful summer. Halfway through Wilcox’s Legion season, he received a phone call from an opposing team.

Lackawanna College, a junior college in Scranton, Pennsylvania, needed a catcher. Wilcox did not have time to waste – after receiving the call, he had two weeks to act.

He took a visit, signed his letter of intent and moved in within that span. In 72 games at Lackawanna, Wilcox posted a .263 batting average and knocked in 23 runs.

After playing two seasons as a Falcon, Wilcox’s phone rang again. When MSU baseball head coach Scott Eul extended an offer, the catcher sprung into action.

“The rest is history,” Wilcox said.

Good vibrations

When Wilcox arrived in Minot, Eul noticed his jovial nature during practices and games. Although Wilcox did not begin his career as a Beaver, Eul saw the catcher laugh and joke around with his new teammates.

“Wilcox is one of the guys who the guys loved,” Eul said. “He has the long hair that fits him absolutely perfectly. He’s a guy who always has a smile on his face. Guys love playing with him.”

Wilcox started growing out his hair during his sophomore year of high school. During that time, he told himself that he would donate it after he finished his baseball career.

After eight years of growth, his hair now stretches down to the middle of his back. His flowing, curly locks are sometimes met with derision, but Wilcox lets the comments roll off his shoulders.

“I get a lot of ‘softball player’ jokes from the other teams,” Wilcox said. “That’s whatever, though. You’ve just got to take it on the chin.”

Over time, Eul took note of an emerging trend within the pitching staff. Because Wilcox’s attitude translated to his craft, the hurlers wanted to build camaraderie with him.

“Guys kept requesting to throw to him,” Eul said. “Just because he was so easy to work with. At practice, he was always that guy that was running around and talking to everybody.”

Whether Wilcox is catching a routine bullpen session or assisting his teammates during a critical mound visit, he keeps his energy at the same level.

“I’ve always been such a happy guy,” Wilcox said. “Being around the team and doing something I love – playing baseball – brings out the best in everybody. I try to keep everybody up and keep everybody positive. Even if some people are having bad days, I like to cheer them up as much as I can.”

Although his senior season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wilcox has kept his passion for the sport.

Love of the game

As he sharpened his skills, Wilcox found inspiration from several Major League Baseball catchers. He studied Boston Red Sox catcher Jonathan Lucroy, Minnesota Twins catcher Mitch Garver and Texas Rangers catcher Jeff Mathis.

Wilcox referred to Mathis as a “wizard behind the plate,” but he originally looked up to a fellow Minnesota product. A lifelong Twins fan, Wilcox respected Joe Mauer’s work ethic.

“I used to watch him all the time,” Wilcox said. “He was one of my favorites growing up.”

Wilcox made 38 appearances during the 2018 season and helped the Beavers win an NSIC regular-season championship. He finished the campaign with a flawless 1.000 fielding percentage, handling 216 chances without an error.

Wilcox redshirted the 2019 season. After the Beavers posted an early 8-6 record to start 2020, the pandemic halted play in March.

“He had a good year and he had a year where he had some things not go his way,” Eul said about Wilcox. “Then, this year got cut short. A wild ride is about right.”

Wilcox’s exhaustive film study helped him provide a variety of contributions to the Beavers. A self-described “general” on the field, he favors a simplistic approach.

“I just enjoy calling the pitches,” Wilcox said. “As a catcher, it gives you more perspective on what pitches are going to work against batters and how to work batters better.”

Because a plethora of pitchers took the mound for MSU, Wilcox needed to adjust to their styles.

“He knew how to call his own game,” Eul said. “It takes a lot of work, to be honest with you. He was one of the catchers that picked up the pitchers’ trust a lot quicker than anybody I’ve seen. It’s a lot of work. You’ve got to memorize 20 to 25 guys’ arsenals. You’ve got to know what they are good at, and you’ve got to know what they’re not very good at.”

Ultimately, Wilcox became a reliable figure. When the Beavers found themselves mired in the trenches, Eul knew he could depend on the catcher.

“He had that trusting sense to him,” Eul said. “When he was calling pitches, he knew what he was doing. You knew that he was going out to do everything he could to work for you.”

Wilcox developed a candid perspective after enduring his personal peaks and valleys.

“Being a Minot State Beaver is all about hard work,” he said. “It’s about grit. It’s about determination. It’s about trying to be better than the competition. We don’t have much of a name up there, so we’ve got to work a little harder than everybody else. I feel like the hard work will eventually pay off for everybody.”

Fielding life’s curveballs

Wilcox discovered a passion for the business world in college. After studying international business, Wilcox will graduate this month.

He also picked up minors in Spanish and marketing. An avid watcher of the hit TV show “Shark Tank,” Wilcox claims he has seen every episode.

Wilcox enjoys watching Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban make shrewd investments on the show. Cuban has provided some entrepreneurial inspiration, but Wilcox wants to search for a job in a marketing business upon graduation.

“It would be the dream to start my own business, but you’ve got to start somewhere,” Wilcox said.

In his free time, Wilcox finds pleasure in the outdoors. He golfs, fishes and wakeboards in Minnesota.

Depending on the location, he reels in northern pike, bass or crappies. Additionally, Wilcox adds more baseball knowledge to his repertoire through playing the popular “MLB: The Show” video game.

His journey took him across the country, but Wilcox maintained his carefree nature. As the dust settles on his baseball career, his positivity continues to impact the MSU program.

“He’s a good kid,” Eul said. “He’s going to do some really good things in life. We were pretty fired up to have him as a part of our program. We’re glad to have him be a part of our alumni group now.”

One last task lies ahead, as Wilcox continues his search for a place that will accept his hair.

Jimmy Lafakis covers Minot High School sports and Class B high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @JJLII30.