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There is nothing like celebrating a major life milestone in the comfort of your own home surrounded by friends and family.

Flagstaff High School baseball player Wyatt Schmidt got to experience that when he and his family hosted his college signing ceremony.

The 6-foot-2 right-handed pitcher officially signed to play at Division II Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas, on Saturday. In Schmidt’s recruiting journey, Fort Hays State found him rather than the other way around.

“It was just on the way for our little road trip for touring different schools,� Schmidt said. “I really liked the school. The coaches were good, and I liked what they had to offer.�

Schmidt got a chance to ramp up his usage on the mound during his senior season with the Eagles -- which ultimately led them to the 4A Conference state tournament championship game against Salpointe Catholic. He made a handful of appearances in his two seasons at the varsity level, racking up 13 strikeouts against a total of 48 hitters.

He said what he showed Fort Hays during his prospect camp visit in early June was enough for them to want to take a chance on him on the spot.

“It was right after I was done throwing my bullpen for the camp,� Schmidt said. “They pulled me and two other kids aside and gave us a tour. After we got back to the field, they offered us scholarships.�

Schmidt said he met the Tigers coaching staff at a camp he attended, where dialogue began surrounding his recruitment situation.

Fort Hays State was not on the Schmidt family's radar until the end of their college search. Wyatt’s father, Matthew Schmidt, detailed what the process was like.

“We did a Texas trip, and he got a couple of offers at schools in Texas,� Matthew said. “Nelson University was probably his favorite up to meeting Fort Hays. We figured we’d go check out some schools a little more north.�

They were going to go visit NAIA McPherson College just a couple of hours southeast of Hays, but a decision was already made before then. Fort Hays State was the last school Wyatt ended up visiting.

“After the Hays visit, he was sold,� Matthew said. “It wasn’t necessarily something he said. You could just tell.�

Wyatt said he was looking hard at a high-level school in Dallas, but conversations with the coaches never materialized. His communication with Fort Hays State was his first real experience coming in contact with a DII program.

Schmidt was open to going just about anywhere in the country. He had an offer from Shoreline Community College in the Seattle area, as well as another out in New York. His father stated that they were leaning toward the Midwest -- which became a reality with the offer from Fort Hays State.

“I’ve been looking for that higher-division school,� Wyatt said. “We’ve been constantly looking at the NAIA schools. This was DII. When they offered a scholarship, I couldn’t pass that up.�

Fort Hays State offered Schmidt to bolster its pitching rotation that posted a 5.40 ERA in 2025, which was fifth-best out of 13 teams in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. Schmidt was signed for his pitching potential, but hopes to discuss the idea of getting a few chances at the plate from time to time.

He said he was told by the Fort Hays State staff that he would get a chance to be a starter.

The recruiting process was one that both Wyatt and Matthew Schmidt learned a lot from. The family has a lot of younger cousins also pursuing baseball who will look to them for recruiting guidance in the future.

“Late sophomore year is when we really got into it,� Wyatt said. “It got really heavy through my junior year. As the season started, it got crazy through senior year. It was overall kind of stressful but exciting seeing all the colleges out there.�

Schmidt originally planned to have his recruitment squared away before the senior season to avoid the added stress. However, a UCL injury took away much of his high school career and set the process back.

He and his father credit the rehab and training Wyatt did at Conte Sport Performance in Scottsdale that got him back to his regular throwing ability.

“The adversity, the injuries, the things that he has gone through throughout his high school career, it’s a true testament to his character being able to get through those things,� Matthew said. “Getting the spot that he did, it was truly a blessing.�

It all started to fall into place for Wyatt. His bond with his father was on display when friends and family trickled into their home to celebrate.

“It was amazing seeing all the hard work I’ve been putting in finally pay off,� Wyatt said. “Finally getting to play for a bigger school like that is a dream come true.�

Fort Hays State went 32-16 last season, including 26-10 in MIAA conference play. The Tigers were the No. 3 seed in the MIAA Baseball Championship Tournament and were eliminated in the quarterfinals by No. 6-seeded Northwest Missouri State in 10 innings. Fort Hays State went 6-3 against nationally ranked DII opponents, including a three-game sweep over No. 29 Central Oklahoma in March.

Schmidt will report to the team on Aug. 11 before the fall semester starts the following week. Until then, he will spend this summer training daily with weekly trips down to Conte Performance.

He plans to study business management.