Springtime has us daydreaming about baseball. The smell of freshly cut grass, the peaceful symmetry of the diamond, the satisfying thwack of the bat—there’s something particularly beautiful about America’s favorite pastime.
Lucky for us, Woodbury has a couple of hometown home-runners who are taking their baseball talent to new heights. Cretin-Derham Hall grad Robbie Mouton and Woodbury High School grad Colin Keefe are playing top-notch baseball for Division I universities, and we chatted with them about what they’ve learned playing at the college level and about their favorite baseball memories. Batter up!
Robbie Mouton
Robbie Mouton, a freshman at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, is having fun with the adjustment to college life. “The amount of time [spent at baseball practice] is definitely the biggest difference,” he says. “In high school, practice would last two hours or so. [At Bradley], practice is three or four hours on the field.”
Mouton was a star pitcher at Cretin-Derham Hall, and he always knew that he’d continue to follow his baseball dreams after high school graduation. Robbie’s mom, Jolie Mouton, is thrilled to watch her son play in the next chapter of his life. “It’s very humbling to see your kid on a college baseball field, fulfilling the dream they’ve talked about since they played youth baseball,” she says
Vital Stats
High school: Cretin-Derham Hall
College: Bradley University, freshman
Baseball position: Pitcher
College major: Mechanical engineering
Favorite part about playing high school baseball: “I think it’s cool that you build rivalries over the years, and as you grow up and get to high school, it’s great to see how everybody changes and improves.”
Fun fact: Robbie is a left-handed pitcher, something of a rarity in baseball. “And I listen to really hard metal music before I pitch. That’s my pre-game music.”
Goals: “I’d love to get drafted and play in the major leagues some day. On the engineering side, I’d love to work for an aerospace company—that’d be really cool.”
Colin Keefe
Colin Keefe has been playing baseball pretty much since he could toddle, and he’s never doubted that the sport is his true calling. “I really felt like baseball was my true love. Growing up, I went to a couple of Gopher games, and watching that level of baseball, I wanted to make it there. I wanted to get to Division I.”
Since graduating from high school, Keefe has worked hard to make his DI dreams come true. After being sidelined by a foot injury, he decided to play baseball at a junior college for two years, and finally transferred to sports powerhouse Penn State for the 2013 season. Says Colin’s dad, Bob Keefe, “We’re very proud of the fact that he accomplished his goals and worked very hard to do it. He always said he wanted to play DI baseball…and he’s done well.”
Vital Stats
High school: Woodbury High School
College: Penn State University, senior
Baseball position: Catcher and first baseman
College major: Energy, Business and Finance
Best baseball memory: “My third grade baseball team, we were the underdogs, and we ended up winning the championship. [At the end of the game], my best friend Eric and I sprinted toward each other and had a big hug. Everyone remembers it as The Hug. It’s one of the best baseball memories I’ll ever have.”
Fun fact: “I’m pretty superstitious. I always have to tape my wrist a certain way and stretch a certain way before every game.”
Goals: “I’d like to work with renewable energy companies…and I’d like to stay in the Twin Cities. I definitely will continue to play baseball and have fun with it.”
On Deck
Keep your eyes on another local rising baseball star. East Ridge High School senior Luke Ringhofer is headed to play Division I baseball at South Dakota State University this fall. “I’m looking forward to meeting new friends on the team and traveling around the country,” says the East Ridge all-star catcher. “Looking forward to new experiences.” And this summer, he’ll be rooting for—who else? The Minnesota Twins. “It’s a little tough sometimes,” Ringhofer laughs, “but I’m a Twins fan.”
