Chris Coste

American baseball player and coach (born 1973)

Christopher Robert Coste (born February 4, 1973), is an American author, professional baseball coach, and former catcher who is currently the manager for the Fargo Moorhead RedHawks of the American Association of Professional Baseball. Coste first played in Major League Baseball (MLB) at age 33, after twelve seasons of independent and minor league baseball. He was an analyst on Pre Game Live and Post Game Live for the Philadelphia Phillies. He won the 2022 American Association of Professional Baseball championship with the Fargo Moorhead RedHawks.

After attending Fargo South High School, Coste went to Kishwaukee Community College for 1 year, a Division II college Junior College, but later left. He then attended classes and played baseball for Concordia College, a Division III school in Moorhead, Minnesota, where he was a three time All American. He started his professional career in 1995 playing for Brainerd, Minnesota in the independent North Central League. When the league folded in July he joined the Brandon Grey Owls in the independent Prairie League. From 1996 to 1999, he played four seasons for the Fargo Moorhead RedHawks of the independent Northern League.

In 1999, Coste was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates but was released after spring training and returned to the Fargo Moorhead Redhawks. In 2000, Coste signed with the Cleveland Indians organization, having gotten significant playing with then Triple A affiliate Buffalo Bisons. He spent 2003 with the Boston Red Sox organization and 2004 in the Milwaukee Brewers system. Coste first signed with the Phillies in 2005, spending the entire season with their Triple A affiliate, then known as the Scranton/Wilkes Barre Red Barons.

He remained with Scranton/Wilkes Barre until his promotion to the Phillies, facilitated by his fantastic performance in 2006 spring training. After starting the 2007 season in Triple A, Coste was called back up to the majors on May 12, 2007. On May 25, 2007, Ryan Howard was re activated off the DL and the Phillies sent Coste back to the minors to Double A Reading. Due to starting first baseman Lance Berkman's injured calf, Coste found playing time at first base for the Astros.

On November 30, 2009, Coste signed with the New York Mets.

On March 29, 2010, Coste was claimed off waivers by the Washington Nationals. Before the season began he injured his elbow which required Tommy John surgery in May 2010. He was released on June 5, 2010. Coste retired from professional baseball after that.

Coste wrote his first book about his experiences in professional baseball: "Hey I'm Just the Catcher: An Inside Look at a Northern League Season From Behind the Plate," published in 1997. This book covers his first few seasons in independent baseball leagues, mainly the RedHawks (in his hometown). This book is out of print and supplanted by his new book.

2008 saw the release of Coste's second autobiography, "The 33 Year Old Rookie: How I Finally Made it to the Big Leagues After Eleven Years in the Minors." The book, which chronicles Coste's first season in the majors, contains a foreword by John Kruk. This book covers Coste's professional career up through his third season (2008) with the Phillies. It includes nearly all the historical material found in his first book (independent baseball) as well as the time in the affiliated minor leagues. Due to the recent success of films about athletes such as Vince Papale and Jim Morris, movie studio representatives have contacted Coste about the possibility of a movie about his struggle from career minor leaguer to the majors.

Coste was an in studio analyst for Phillies games, and appeared on Phillies Pregame Live and Postgame Live shows. Besides these appearances, Coste is currently the head baseball coach at Concordia College. On December 1 2017, he was named the hitting coach for the Fargo Moorhead RedHawks. On June 15, 2020, he was promoted to interim manager for the 2020 season following the departure of Jim Bennett. On April 20, 2021, he was named permanent manager of the RedHawks. With the RedHawks, Coste led the franchise to a runner up finish in the American Association in 2021, losing to the Kansas City Monarchs in the league finals. The following season, the RedHawks defeated the Milwaukee Milkmen in five games to claim their first AA crown, 24 years after Coste earned a Northern League title with the franchise.