Corey Koskie elected to Twins Hall of Fame
Matthew Leach
@matthewhleachMINNEAPOLIS -- The newest member of the Twins Hall of Fame is yet another key player from the early 2000s' teams that helped revitalize baseball in the Twin Cities. Former Minnesota third baseman Corey Koskie, who starred on the American League Central championship teams from 2002-04, was announced Friday as the 41st member of the franchise¡¯s Hall of Fame.
Koskie played for the Twins from 1998-2004, tallying 101 of his 124 big league home runs with Minnesota. His development into one of the game¡¯s better all-around third basemen dovetailed with the team¡¯s surge from a run of eight consecutive losing seasons in the mid-to late-90s to the steady success of the 2000s.
Team president Dave St. Peter, who made the announcement at the team¡¯s annual preseason media luncheon, described Koskie as ¡°a popular teammate, clubhouse leader, and noted team prankster.¡±
A native of Anola, Manitoba, near Winnipeg, Koskie was drafted by the Twins and spent the bulk of his Major League career with the club. He now makes his home in the Twin Cities, and although he¡¯s not originally from the area, he said he feels fully a part of it now.
¡°This is home for us,¡± he said. ¡°This is where we raised our kids. ¡ It¡¯s special. Absolutely.¡±
In six-plus seasons with Minnesota, Koskie batted .280 with a .373 on-base percentage, a .463 slugging percentage, 101 homers, 437 RBIs, and 438 runs scored. He enjoyed his best year in 2001, when he produced a .276/.362/.488 slash line with 26 homers, 103 RBIs and 100 runs. He¡¯s one of six Minnesota players to score 100 and drive in 100 in the same year.
Koskie becomes the ninth player who played on the '02-'04 teams to be inducted into the team hall of fame, joining Brad Radke, Eddie Guardado, Torii Hunter, Michael Cuddyer, Joe Nathan, Johan Santana, Justin Morneau, and Joe Mauer. Ron Gardenhire, who managed those teams, was inducted in 2022.
Koskie was selected by a 70-member panel made up of regional media, living team hall of famers, team historians and select team executives. He will be formally inducted prior to the team¡¯s Aug. 17 home game against the Tigers.