BROOKINGS — From Brayden Pankonen to Austin Henry, Landon Ruesink to Jack Henry, the Dell Rapids Quarriers have produced some all-time great South Dakota high school baseball players as of late.

And after the 2025 season, it’s safe to say that Tad Tjaden makes a great case to be a part of that list.

The Class B South Dakota High School Baseball Association player of the year just capped off back-to-back state championships with one of the best pitching seasons in recent memory.

Tjaden pitched 54 innings across 11 games racking up an impressive 9-1 record and a 1.04 ERA. The 6-foot-6 senior ace also tallied 105 strikeouts, the most by a Quarrier since Austin Henry’s 106-strikeout season in 2021.

“This year he had one of the best seasons a pitcher at Dell Rapids has ever had and we’ve had some really good ones,” said Dell Rapids coach Danny Miller. “He’s well over 100 strikeouts for the season, those are crazy numbers in a small spring sampling.”

And in the postseason he’s an even better pitcher. The Southwest Minnesota State University baseball commit has pitched 24 innings in the state tournament dating back to his freshman year. In those 24 innings, Tjaden has surrendered one unearned run on five hits, 12 walks and three hit batters, striking out 30 in the process.

“He works at it. All of those guys work at it and Tad is no exception,” said Miller. “He puts in time and he works really hard to get good at it and that’s why he’s as good as he is.”

But he saved his best and most efficient playoff pitching for last. In region play, Tjaden struck out 18 batters, recording the first 14 outs of the game via a strikeout, in a 5-0 win over West Central. In the state semifinals, Tjaden threw just 60 pitches, 43 for strikes, in a five-inning mercy rule win over Elk Point-Jefferson, allowing two hits while striking out eight.

“He’s had so many games where he has over 70% strikes. You get that and he can put the ball wherever he wants, he has three pitches he throws a lot for strikes,” Miller said. “It’s a little sense of comfort knowing he’s throwing for you on the mound.”

While Tjaden is dominant on the mound he also provides a spark in the Quarrier lineup. Bolstering a .356 for Dells in his senior season, Tjaden led the team in RBIs with 27, adding four doubles and two triples. Tjaden has also stolen 25 bases this season.

Dell Rapids Tad Tjaden swings at a pitch during the Quarriers 10-0 win over Elk Point-Jefferson at the Class B state tournament at Bob Shelden Field in Brookings. (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

“He’s just a really good player,” said Dell Rapids teammate Cooper Frost. “He’s not the flashiest, he's not going to hit a home run every time, but he’s going to do whatever the team needs him to do. Whether that’s pitching or going out and playing centerfield or getting a bunt down. He’s going to do it all.”

But the final moment that cemented Tjaden’s legacy happened in the eighth inning of the Class B state championship. 

In a 4-4 tie going into the bottom of the seventh, Tjaden grounded one into center field for a one out single. Advancing to second on a walk, Tjaden stole third base before sealing it by scoring on a squeeze bunt from Frost.

“He’s so special. He can pitch, right? We all know he can pitch, but then he gets that big hit, then he steals third, then he’s really aggressive on a force play at home on a squeeze play. He knows he has to beat it, he puts himself in position to beat that throw,” Miller said. “You can’t say enough about how great he’s been for us.”

Tjaden has played a role in three high school state championships for Dell Rapids, and was part of the 2023 American Legion state championship team for Post 65. Four championships in as many years to cap off yet another legendary Dell Rapids baseball career.

“This meant a lot to me,” said Tjaden after Tuesday’s championship. “There’s a lot of seniors on this team. It meant a lot to us. We worked really hard for it. It’s the best feeling in the world.”