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Another
star on the 2002 Centralia High School
baseball team, Dinkelman joins his entire
team and fellow individual inductee Lance
Marcum in the Class of 2013 Centralia Sports
Hall of Fame inductees.
As a senior in ’02, Dinkelman was named
the South Seven Conference’s Most Valuable
Player after hitting .451 with four homeruns
and 29 RBI for the 29-5 Orphans. While a
standout middle infielder, Dinkelman also
helped anchor the Centralia pitching staff
by winning seven games. A Second Team,
All-State choice, Dinkelman finished his
career as the school leader in hits (139),
doubles (32), and triples (10).
Signing with McKendree
College (now McKendree University),
Dinkelman set 24 new school records while
playing for the Bearcats. Named the NAIA
National Player of the Year in 2006, he also
posted all-time NAIA marks in runs (303),
hits (373), doubles (96), totals bases
(670), and defensive assists (679).
Upon finishing his career
at McKendree, Dinkelman was selected in the
eighth round by the Minnesota Twins in the
Major League Baseball Draft. A three-time
All-Star in the minor leagues, Dinkelman
made his major league debut with Minnesota
in 2012, where he hit .301 in 23 games in
two different stints with the Twins.
Along with all of his
success on the diamond, Dinkelman also
played a key role in the backcourt of the
2002 CHS basketball team that took home
third place from the IHSA Class 2A State
Basketball Tournament. He also was a
three-year varsity performer of the
Orphans’ golf team.
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