Ryan Costello, Minnesota Twins prospect was found dead, at age 23, in New Zealand only days after joining the Australian Baseball League. Questions were being asked when Costello didn’t attend practice on Monday just days before the Auckland Tautura’s season opener. Costello was traded to the Twins last year in a deal that sent Zach Duke to the Seattle Mariners. Tautura claims that initial investigations suggest that Costello died of natural causes.
“The Tuatara would like to express their deepest condolences to Ryan’s family back home in the United States and to the whole Minnesota Twins organisation,” said the release. “Support is being offered to the Tuatara players, who are naturally devastated at the moment.”
Costello was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and played minor league baseball for Clinton Lumberjacks and Fort Myers Miracle who made it to the championship game in 2018. Costello hit a critical home run leading up to the championship game.
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In an interview with Twins Daily, Costello said his greatest strength was “my ability to stay positive in tough times. He talked about his wish to spend time with his family after the conclusion of his first professional season in 2019.
“My dad has a bass boat and has had it since I was a kid,” Said Costello. “The first thing we do when I go home is go fishing. I’ve been home for seven days, I’ve been out fishing about four of those days. I live about five minutes from a river, the Connecticut River, so we go fishing on the river a lot.”
Costello hit 15 home runs in 2019 leading to the Tuataras interest and eventual signing. The MLB third baseman’s death is an absolute shock to everyone. He will be missed on and off the field.
