Hagins Settles His Suit Against ASU : Baseball: Catcher from Irvine released from letter of intent and now can transfer from Arizona State.

Former University High School baseball standout Stephan Hagins was released Monday from his letter of intent with Arizona State as part of an out-of-court settlement of Hagins’ lawsuit against the university.

In exchange, Hagins dropped his Nov. 29 suit, which claimed ASU’s refusal to allow him to play because of a heart-valve condition constitutes handicap discrimination that is illegal under the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Hagins, who as part of the settlement received $12,000 from ASU as reimbursement for expenses incurred during his relationship with the school, said he received medical clearance to play last month from Dr. Patrick Bergin, a cardiologist at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eugene, Ore.

Bergin declined to comment on Hagins’ case Monday, citing patient-doctor confidentiality.

Hagins, a 6-foot, 205-pound catcher, plans to transfer to another Division I school--he said Pepperdine is his “No. 1 choice,” but he’s also considering Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State--but the Collegiate Commissioners Assn. has not yet decided whether he will be eligible to play next spring or in 1995.

ASU officials sent a letter to the CCA asking for a “full release” for Hagins, which, if granted, would make him immediately eligible to play baseball at another school.

“The only goal I have now is to be rookie of the year,” said Hagins, who batted .507 at University last spring and was a 23rd-round pick of the Cleveland Indians. “Anyone who gets in my way will have a big train to stop.”

Hagins, a Times Orange County first-team selection in 1993, ran into a road block at ASU. A UCLA Medical Center cardiologist who examined Hagins in August advised him to “desist from competitive sports,” and the university, fearing for Hagins’ health and possible litigation should he suffer a catastrophic injury, did not allow him to play.

Hagins could face the same medical and legal hurdles at another school, but with his release from ASU and apparent medical clearance from the Oregon cardiologist, his college baseball career could be back on track.

“We were all in agreement that at this particular time, we were not comfortable with putting him in a competitive situation,” ASU Coach Jim Brock said. “But whatever Steve thinks is best for him, we certainly welcome that. It was a sad story here. I hope it has a happy ending.”