Joe Mauer becomes the youngest player to be elected into Baseball Hall of Fame

Joe Mauer elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

Former Twins player, Joe Mauer, became the youngest player to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He talked with FOX 9's Babs Santos on the hall of fame election.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Joe Mauer has been on a whirlwind ride over the last few days, after receiving a phone call on Tuesday afternoon that most athletes can only dream about.

"Going into it, I didn’t know what to expect, and to finally receive that call was just unbelievable," Mauer said on Saturday. "When you see your phone light up, and it says Cooperstown, New York, it’s pretty special."

On Saturday morning, he received a warm reception from fans at Twins Fest, "I’m very emotional today, just walking through the excitement of Twins fans," Mauer said.

The former first overall pick is now the seventh player in Twins history to be elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. At 40 years old, he’s also the youngest player.

However, Mauer’s fans say they love him just as much for his demeanor off the field. "He’s a good guy. He’s not only a wonderful baseball player, but he is a wonderful man," fan Renee Ryan said.

"He’s such a great human being," fan Tom Gatzke added.

Born and raised in the Twin Cities, Mauer was a player who fans could easily relate to, because he is one of us. Now, even as a first ballot Hall of Famer, the hometown hero’s most cherished accomplishments are far more simple: "I’m still dad and a proud member of this community," Mauer finished.