Joe Mauer is leaving the field after a 15-year major league career, but not Minnesota or the Twins.

As Mauer formalized his goodbye to the game at a news conference packed with people he’s close to, he vowed to stay connected to his hometown team and raise his kids in Minnesota.

Mauer joined the Twins in 2001 as the first overall pick in the draft, and his voice cracked as he thanked then-general manager Terry Ryan for taking him. Mauer was even more emotional when mentioning his family members.