Messalonskee High School alum Sam Dexter embraces unpredictable lifestyle of professional baseball

Oakland native and former Messalonskee High School and University of Southern Maine standout Sam Dexter is currently playing shortstop for the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks of the American Association of Professional Baseball. As of Aug. 11, Dexter is hitting .257 with five home runs and 37 RBIs for the RedHawks. Photo courtesy of Joe Leier/Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks

Sam Dexter truly loves baseball. And it’s a love affair he has no intention of letting go of any time soon.

Dexter, 29, a former Messalonskee High School and University of Southern Maine standout, is in his fourth season as a shortstop for the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks in Fargo, North Dakota. The RedHawks are a member of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an independent league in the midwest.

“I’m just so fortunate to still be playing, having a job in a great league” Dexter said. “It’s professional baseball and I’m just really happy to be playing.

“It’s a Double-A, Triple-A type of league,” Dexter added. “You look around the rosters in our league and you see some big names. Kansas City’s leadoff hitter is Asdrubal Cabrera, the former All-Star from the (Philadelphia) Phillies. There’s some serious talent in this league and I think it’s getting better each and every year.”

Dexter has been with Fargo-Moorhead since 2021. A fixture at shortstop, Dexter has become a fan favorite for the RedHawks, who play their home games at Newman Outdoor Field, on the campus of North Dakota State University. The RedHawks are currently fourth in the league in attendance, averaging 3,258 fans per game.

“It’s nice out here,” Dexter said. “I never thought I’d really like it, but the people are great, the cities we play in are pretty cool. I’ve got no complaints.

“They’re passionate sports fans out there, you can see it with the success of the (North Dakota State) football team,” Dexter continued. “We play on campus at NDSU. It’s just a great sports city, and they love their baseball, they love their football. They have a junior hockey team there, the Fargo Force. It’s just a very up-and-coming city. They come out and support us, doesn’t matter if it’s a Friday night, a fireworks night, a Tuesday night, a bobblehead night, they’re out there cheering us on. It’s just a great atmosphere to be in.”

Dexter was named captain of the RedHawks this season, the first to receive the distinction for a franchise that has been in existence since 1996.

“It was an unexpected thing, but at the same time, it’s very humbling to be the first team captain in the organization,” Dexter said. “I think it just comes down to the mindset of playing to win, respecting the game and being a good teammate. Those three things I just try to carry with me every day.”

Dexter was one of head coach Ed Flaherty’s top players during his career at USM, which spanned from 2013-2016. In 193 career games with the Huskies, he hit .386, with 19 home runs and 156 RBIs. He was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 23rd round (686th pick overall) of the 2016 MLB Draft. Dexter played two years in the White Sox system, reaching as High A ball with the Winstom-Salem Dash. In 83 minor league games, Dexter hit .248, with four home runs and 29 RBIs. He was released by the White Sox in 2018.

Dexter moved forward, immediately signing with the Trois-Rivieres Aigles of the independent Can-Am League, and won the Defensive Player of the Year award, making just seven errors in 338 chances. In 2019, Dexter was traded to the Milwaukee Milkmen of the American Association, opening the door to what has been a successful run of baseball in the midwest.

The American Association is made up of 12 teams spread throughout the midwest, and play a 100-game regular season. Some teams are in prominent cities, such as the Milkmen in Milwaukee, as well as the Chicago Dogs and the Kansas City Monarchs. There are also teams a bit off the beaten path of traditional baseball cities, such as the Sioux Falls (South Dakota) Canaries and the Sioux City (Iowa) Explorers. One team — the Winnipeg Goldeyes — requires a trip to Canada.

“Winnipeg is one of our closest trips, fortunately,” Dexter said.

The longest trip the RedHawks have is Cleburne, Texas, to play the Cleburne Railroaders. Dexter said the team logs 20 hours — by bus, one way — in order to play the Railroaders.

“You learn to deal with it, but some trips are a little harder on the body than others,” Dexter said. “That’s where you’ve really got to love it to stick with it. For a guy like me, I just take time to enjoy the travel, try to get to know the guys on the bus.

“You do it so long, you form routines on the bus,” Dexter continued. “We’re playing cards on the bus, we’re listening to music, we’re having conversations with each other for extensive periods of time. You really get to know all the guys on the team. We become like family by the end (of the season), which I love.”

Oakland native and former Messalonskee High School and University of Southern Maine standout Sam Dexter was named captain of the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks this season, a first for a franchise that has existed since 1996. Photo courtesy of Jenn Andreachi

Dexter has managed to support himself financially playing in the American Association. In the offseason, he comes home to central Maine, spending time with his family and preparing for the next season, which comes around each May. Nearing 30, Dexter has no plans to quit playing baseball any time in the near future.

“It’s a hard thing to quit,” Dexter said. “When someone calls you and they offer you a uniform and they want to pay you to play ball, that’s a really hard thing for me to pass up. I still just love playing the game. I love the team camaraderie. I love the team I’m on. It’s a difficult thing to pass up. This team has had success, we won the (league) championship last year… At the end of the day, I’m just trying to play ball and to win. But it’s been awesome.”

Coaching may certainly be in Dexter’s future. He spent the spring of 2021 and 2022 as an assistant under Flaherty on the USM staff, and still helps when he can. Aside from Flaherty, a legend in the coaching ranks within the state, Dexter also has former Colby College baseball coach and former pro pitcher Dale Plummer, as well as his father, longtime Colby baseball and football assistant coach Tom Dexter, as guides along his baseball journey.

Wherever it takes him, Sam Dexter is certain the game will continue to be a fixture in his life.

“I talk to everyone that I can about my situation,” Dexter said. “I’ve had great mentors along my way, Coach Flaherty being one of them. Dale Plummer being another, my dad. They all tell me, ‘Don’t worry about trying to get a job right now, just play baseball as long as you can.’ That’s kind of my mindset right now. When they’re telling me that, it’s encouraging for me, too. It’s motivating. I don’t want to stop playing right now if they keep having me back.”