After Isaac Collins played his first-ever game at Target Field, the Maple Grove native and Milwaukee Brewers left fielder brought his family and friends onto the field for a picture.
Collins, in full uniform, was surrounded by 37 people.
“A full-circle moment,” said Collins, who graduated from Maple Grove High School in 2016 and played at Creighton University. “I got to see a lot of old faces that I haven’t seen in a while. It just feels good to have that much support and that many people follow along with my career.”
Collins, who had two hits, two runs and three RBI during Saturday’s 9-0 win over the Twins, had a workout at Target Field during his senior year of high school, but Friday marked the first time he played at the ballpark.
Even in a crowd of 28,000, Collins heard his cheering section when he stepped to the plate.
“I heard them a little bit,” he said. “My dad, I can hear him just about every time he comes to a game. He’s always having fun up there. Yeah, I heard some cheers, for sure.”
Collins made his major league debut last September after six years in the minor leagues. The 27-year-old switch hitter seized an Opening Day roster spot this season, and he is batting .254 with four homers, 19 RBI and 21 runs through 58 games.
There were some days when he doubted his path to the big leagues, he said, particularly during a tough 2022 season at Class AA when he was in the Colorado Rockies organization, but he started to hit for more power in the Milwaukee farm system.