The Bethel University Royals are proud to introduce Brian Raabe as the new head coach of the university's baseball program. Raabe brings a wealth of knowledge and passion for the game to the Bethel program.

A New Ulm, Minn., native, Raabe was a stand-out middle infielder for University of Minnesota. At the U of M, Raabe was a four-year letter winner and member of the 1988 Big Ten Championship team. Raabe's skill earned him many honors including All-American honors, All-Big Ten Honors, and the Rod Carew scholarship award.

In 1990 the Minnesota Twins drafted Raabe in the 41st round of the amateur draft. During his three years as a professional, Raabe spent time in the Twins, Rockies, and Mariners organizations. Raabe was also selected for many honors as a professional; in 1996 he earned the Triple-A batting title, he was a Topps All-Star in 1996-1997, and he also earned three different minor league All-Star honors.

Brian has spent the last 11 seasons as the head coach of the Forest Lake Rangers. During his time at the reigns, the Forest Lake squad became one of the state's top perennial contenders in Class AAA, finishing the 2010 season with a 20-8 record. Raabe has also served as the head baseball training instructor for the Centennial Lakes Little League and the Minnesota Twins Camps.

"Having coached at other levels of the game, I am thrilled to be at Bethel and Division III college baseball,” says Raabe. “Not only do I get to coach high-end athletes a game I love, but I get to coach and develop them in a faith-based environment with high educational standards."

Bethel Athletic Director Bob Bjorklund has this to say about Raabe: “I am thrilled to have Brian as part of our athletics staff. He is a gifted leader who has demonstrated a commitment to excellence and a passion for building a vibrant culture within the team. He will combine tremendous ability with high energy to offer a first-class experience for our student athletes. I am excited about the future of Bethel baseball under his direction.”

In 2010 the Royals finished 20-19 overall. After starting the spring on a roll, Bethel just missed earning a bid into the conference tournament by two, finishing seventh in the MIAC. The 2011 squad will return a strong core of very talented athletes that have the potential to take Bethel baseball to the next level.