While his father Corey Koskie will be inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame this August, current Indiana University player Caleb Koskie is becoming a triple threat for this year’s Mankato MoonDogs.

Koskie, a native of Minnetonka, has put up some impressive numbers for the ‘Dogs while playing in the outfield, pitching and being a designated hitter. He’s leading the team with a .391 batting average through Tuesday with seven RBIs, nine stolen bases, 13 runs scored and a .540 on base percentage. While he hits right-handed, the left-handed pitcher is 2-1 on the bump with a 4.0 ERA in 18 innings. He has struck out 23 and walked 16.

“He’s been lights out on the mound and gives us four or five quality innings each time out,” MoonDogs’ manager Danny Kneeland said. “At the plate, he’s right around .400 so you can’t ask much more than that. He’s a tremendous competitor who puts in a lot of time scouting and watching videos. Caleb is an elite competitor and he elevates everyone else around him.

“He is able to always get the barrel through and that allows him to get some hits on bad pitches. He’s got some sneaky pop and even though he’s not the fastest runner, he’s able to steal bases because he’s got such a good feel for the game. Caleb is very in tune with things and has some of the deepest baseball knowledge of any kid on our team.”

Koskie, a 6-foot, 180-pounder, knew he wanted to play in the Northwoods League this summer but wasn’t sure where at.

“I was looking for somewhere in Minnesota to play because I wanted to be as close to home as possible,” Koskie said. “I got in contact with Danny and the rest is history. I got a few at bats at Indiana, but things didn’t go my way so it has been good to have a few balls hit the grass. I’ve also got a few pitching innings in so far and that’s been good, too. It has been a privilege growing up around the game with two older brothers and a younger one.

“I’ve had a few key coaches who have also contributed to my career so I would tell you that listening to them will help you in the long run. I like my ability to run the bases and just having the knowledge of the game. Baseball is all about learning and taking it on from there. My dad has helped me a bunch and the biggest part of my success is just having the knowledge of the game.”

While Koskie knows his abilities are allowing him to head in the right direction, he also knows there are areas of his game he needs to refine.

“Control on the mound is a big thing for me this summer,” he said. “My control hasn’t been great in my first few outings so I need to work on throwing strikes at the end of counts. Offensively, when I get my pitch I have to hammer it. Those are two of the things I am looking to work on this summer.”

Another thing Caleb wants to experience this summer is playing with his dad and three siblings — Joshua, Bradley and Samuel — with the Loretto Larks amateur baseball team.

“I am trying to find a day off so I can get a game in with them,” Caleb said. “It’s a phenomenal team with a bunch of top-tier guys and playing with my dad and brothers is very special to me.”

For now, Koskie will continue to hone his skills with the MoonDogs before heading back to Indiana for his sophomore season.

“These guys are a lot of fun,” Koskie said of his MoonDog teammates. “Early on, there’s a lot of movement so you might meet a guy one day and the next day he’s gone. We’re starting to settle in now and we’ve got a good group of core guys. I think once we get settled in here, we’re going to go on a run and when that second half kicks in, we’re going to be ready. … I am really excited to see what we can do in the second half.”