Matt Abraham has played in 49 games in a Blue Jays’ uniform

After being drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 49th round of the 2010 MLB Draft, Matt Abraham joined the GCL Blue Jays and this year was also an integral member of the Bluefield Blue Jays. That said, while he has played 49 games in a Blue Jays’ uniform, many fans still have a lot to learn about the young 24-year-old from Massachusetts. To learn more, Abraham sat down with JaysProspects.com to share some insight on how he has become an infielder in the Blue Jays’ minors.

The first question the young prospect was asked was whether he had a favorite player that he idolized while he was growing up. His response would have made a lot of Red Sox fans proud: “Like any other young kid growing up in Massachusetts, I was all about the Red Sox and  shortstop Nomar Garciaparra. As a little leaguer I always wore the number 5 because of him and would try to copy his classic batting stance. I think I even got the same tpx model batting gloves he wore,” he also added, “A player I admire presently would probably have to be Dustin Pedroia. Like me, he is not a very big guy and plays the middle infield. He leaves everything out on the field and would do anything to help his team win.”

While Abraham was raised a Red Sox fan, he now admits that he is proud to be member of the Blue Jays. He even explains that his favorite moment occurred during his first year of professional baseball with the organization where he posted .193 average in 33 games. He reminisces: “We were playing the GCL Braves. My father and little brother were able to make the game and come to Florida for a few days to see me play. Living in Massachusetts, it’s tough for family to come down to watch you play so when they do, you want to perform to the best of your ability. I had managed to get a few hits in the first pro game they had had seen me play. My dad was able to see that all that time he took out of his day to throw batting practice and hit groundballs to me ended up paying off,” he concluded, “for me there is no better feeling that that.”

While hitting .269 as a junior at Eckerd College, Abrham posted a .250 average this year with the Bluefield Blue Jays

His performance with the team again in 2011 earned him a promotion to Bluefield in the latter part of the season, where he posted a.250 average. Discussing the transition to a new area, Abraham stated, “I did not really know what to expect going from Massachusetts to Bluefield, WV.  All I heard about Bluefield was that it was up in the mountains and in the middle of nowhere, the total opposite of where I live now. However it turned out to be a great experience. The town was small but the people were great.  The fans definitely made it feel like it was our second home.” And he further added, “I’ll never forget Henry. If you have ever been to a Bluefield game, you definitely know who he is.  He’s the loudest guy in this stadium yelling ‘double outs’ or ‘strike em out’. He’s just one of many examples of how passionate the people in Bluefield really were about team.”

Showing progress during his first two years of professional baseball, Abraham admits that he is learning more and more about the game each and every day. “Even after four years of college baseball, there’s still so much to learn,” he states. “The game is a lot faster at the professional level and only gets faster as you advance higher up in the system. Every day you have to go to the field looking for something to improve on, whether defensively or offensively. Most importantly, you also need to remember, that each day is a new day. If you have a bad game it’s important to put it in the past and focus on the next one. You can’t let one game make or break you, it’s a long season.”

While Abraham admits he has experienced some unproductive games, he also recognizes that his success has also occurred for good reason. In the field, during in his first two seasons combined, he has conducted only seven errors playing at shortstop, second base, and third base. He identifies this skill helps his team out greatly and increases his value as a player. Additionally, in relation to what he believes his best skill is off the field, he adds with a smile, “Recall Arik Sikula’s interview on JaysProspects (which you can read here) where he is talking about his exceptional athleticism in recreational sports. I thought he was talking about me for a second as we share the same determination off the field. I promise you, if and when, I play him in anything, I will win.”

Interestingly, Abraham is also winning in the offseason as he is keeping himself busy with an impressive occupation. As the young infielder explains, “Along with doing the offseason workout program, I become Mr. Abraham in the offseason, as a substitute teacher. I teach 7th and 8th grade students and feed the kids with my knowledge any way I can. I did it last offseason and loved it so much I decided to go back and do it again.”

Whether as his student, his friend, or his fan, there is no denying that one can learn a lot from Matt Abraham. For this reason, JaysProspects would like to kindly thank him for his time and wish him the best of luck as he himself learns more as he progresses through the system.