Former Taft College baseball standout turned Major League all-star Ron Coomer was in Taft last week and was honored at the Cougars’ baseball game against College of the Sequoias.

TC designated April 13 as “Ron Coomer Day” and the former Minnesota Twin was presented his plaque for induction into the California Community College Athletic Associated Hall of Fame by TC Athletic Director Kanoe Bandy.

He was introduced by TC Interim President Brock McMurray and capped the day by throwing out the first pitch.

Coomer, now a color analyst for the Chicago Cubs Radio Network, was in the area since the Cubs were playing a series at the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Coomer attended TC from 1984-86 and helped lead the Cougars to a Western State Conference championship in 1985 and a Central Valley Conference title in 1986. He led the state in homeruns with 19 in ’86.

He was a two-time California All-State third baseman.

Coomer was drafted in the 14th round of the 1986 draft.

He spent nine years in the minor leagues before finally making it to the big leagues in 1995 with the Minnesota Twins.

He was selected to the all-star game in 1995.

He played nine years in the majors with the Twins, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees and L.A. Dodgers before retiring in 2003 with a career batting average of .274 and 92 homeruns.

Since then, he’s stayed around the game working for Fox Sports North before joining the Chicago Cubs Radio Network.

In addition to being named to the CCAA Hall of Fame, Coomer is a member of the TC Hall of Fame and a 2017 inductee to the California Community College Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.