Bret Helton returns to Fargo for his seventh season of professional baseball and third as a RedHawk in 2021 after a solid performance in 2020 with Fargo-Moorhead in the COVID-19-shortened season. Primarily acting as a reliever out of the bullpen, Helton went 4-3 with a 3.46 ERA in 17 appearances (3 starts) for the ‘Hawks last season. He struck out 32 batters and walked 19 while giving up 15 earned runs in 39.0 innings of work. Helton limited opponents to two hits or fewer in 13 of his 17 appearances last season. His best outing of 2020 came on Aug. 15 against the Chicago Dogs when he pitched 5.0 innings of two-hit ball, giving up one unearned run and striking out four, to help the RedHawks to a 2-1 win at Newman Outdoor Field.

Helton started 17 games for the RedHawks in 2019 with a record of 6-7 and a 4.40 ERA. He struck out 64 batters, walked 47, and gave up 44 earned runs in 90.0 innings pitched. Helton started Game 4 of the NDCS in St. Paul and pitched six scoreless innings in a no decision. The American Association named Helton the Pointstreak Pitcher of the Week for the week of June 23, 2019 after he pitched 12.2 innings of shutout baseball across two starts. After he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates out of the University of Utah in the 2015 MLB Draft, Helton spent four seasons in organized baseball with the Pirates, reaching Double-A in 2018, before coming to Fargo-Moorhead. Helton also pitched for Gigantes de Carolina in the Puerto Rican Winter League in 2018-19.