Dayton Franke

South Dakota State baseball player Dayton Franke runs to first base after hitting the ball in action during the 2026 season at Erv Huether Field in Brookings, South Dakota.

Photo by: Dave Eggen/Inertia Sports Media

South Dakota State's Dayton Franke swings at a pitch in a game played against Midland University on April 14, 2026, at Erv Huether Field in Brookings, South Dakota.

Photo by: Dave Eggen/Inertia Sports Media

Dayton Franke follows through on his swing and starts running to first base after making contact on a pitch in action March 8, 2026, against Southern Illinois at the Cambria Classic played at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Photo by: Ricky Bassman

South Dakota State first baseman/designated hitter Dayton Franke makes solid contact while batting against Nebraska in action March 4, 2026. Franke is pictured swinging a yellow bat while wearing a gray uniform and blue batting helmet.

Photo by: SDSU Athletics

Dayton Franke eyes a pitch during exhibition action in the fall of 2025 at Erv Huether Field in Brookings, South Dakota.

Photo by: SDSU Athletics

Photo by: SDSU Athletics

Height:
6-2
Weight:
230
Position:
Infielder
Class:
Sophomore
Hometown:
Plymouth, Minn.
High School:
Robbinsdale Armstrong H.S.
Major:
Physical Education/Teacher Education

PRONUNCIATION

HONORS AND AWARDS

College Sports Communicators Academic All-District (2026)
Summit League Academic Honor Roll (2025)

2026: Moved into the starting role at first base ... started 49 of the 53 games in which he played ... tied for third on the team with four home runs and ranked fourth with 32 runs batted in ... also led the team with 363 putouts ... in two-game series at Incarnate Word, batted .500 (3-for-6) with seven RBIs (2/17-18) ... tied a single-game school record by being hit by three pitches in opening game of Incarnate Word series while also driving in two runs and scoring twice ... knocked in career-high five runs on a grand slam and sacrifice fly as part of 2-for-3, two-run performance in series finale at UIW ... went 2-for-4 with a double and home run in regular season matchup at Nebraska (3/4) ... delivered a pinch-hit, run-scoring double in comeback victory over Northwestern (Ill.) (3/6) ... homered in series finale at Oral Roberts (3/15) ... tallied five hits — three of which were doubles — and six RBIs in road series at Northern Colorado (3/27-29) ... went 3-for-4 with a double and RBI in series-opening win at St. Thomas (4/10) ... broke out of a long hitless drought with back-to-back two-hit games at North Dakota State (5/1-2) ... added a two-run double in the first inning of series-clinching win at NDSU (5/3) ... doubled and homered as part of two-RBI game at Omaha (5/14) ... notched hits in first two Jackrabbit victories at the Summit League Baseball Championship, versus Oral Roberts (5/20) and Northern Colorado (5/21) ... was 2-for-3 with a walk in NCAA Regional game at Nebraska (5/29) ... recorded double figures in putouts in 11 games, including career-high 13 against Tarleton State (2/21) and Central Arkansas (2/27) ... compiled a .992 fielding percentage for the season

2025: Gave the Jackrabbits another potent bat in the lineup, hitting eight home runs in only 65 at-bats during his freshman season ... played in 35 games with 16 starts at either first base or designated hitter ... notched first career hit in second game of doubleheader at Pacific (Calif.) (2/22) ... first collegiate home run was a game-winning shot to lead off the top of the 10th inning at Sacramento State (3/1) ... homered and drew a pair of walks at Saint Louis (3/8) ... hit his second pinch-hit home run of the season in series finale against Omaha (4/13) ... drove in season-high five runs with a grand slam and sacrifice fly versus Northwestern (Iowa) (4/22) ... tallied his third pinch-hit homer as part of comeback bid at Omaha (5/10) ... registered the fifth three-home run game in the Division I era of Jackrabbit baseball (since 2005) with three solo shots in Game 2 of doubleheader against Oral Roberts (5/15) ... saw action in both games of the Summit League Baseball Championship (5/21-22)

BEFORE SDSU: Dayton served as team captain in three sports during a standout prep career at Robbinsdale Armstrong High School in the Twin Cities Metro area ... on the baseball diamond, he put together multiple all-conference and all-area seasons ... batted .404 as a freshman, then posted a .424 average with 17 runs batted in as a junior ... also turned in a 3-0 record with a 1.75 earned run average and three saves on the mound in 2023 ... following his senior campaign, was selected to play for the Metro North squad in the Minnesota All-Star Series ... also was an all-conference and all-area selection in football and served as team captain as a defenseman in hockey