In his rookie 1959 season, Koppe showed good range at shortstop and hit .261 with seven HR, seven triples, and 68 runs. They were to be career highs; he missed much of the next season with a wrist injury and never hit as well afterward. Traded to the expansion Angels in May 1961, he was their regular shortstop for two seasons, before he lost the job to Jim Fregosi in 1963. Koppe spent the rest of his career as a utility infielder.
