Catcher, Aaron Munoz, was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 34th round of the 2011 MLB Draft

Upon being drafted in the 34th round of this year’s MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays, Aaron Munoz joined the Bluefield Blue Jays. Having successful seasons as a catcher with the Thunder Bay Border Cats and Northwestern State, Munoz’s season in Bluefield was equally as flourishing. Munoz sat down with JaysProspects to discuss his journey thus far playing professional baseball.

“The experience for me on being drafted was exciting and a little scary,” said Munoz, recalling being drafted by the Blue Jays in the 2011 draft. “It was scary because you never know if you are going to get that call so I didn’t want to get my hopes up. I remember getting a wakeup call early in the morning from one of the Blue Jays’ scouts on the last day saying I just been drafted. It was a tremendous feeling and I am so thankful they drafted me!”

Growing up, Munoz admits that he always wished for the opportunity to play in the majors, and idolized many players who were blessed with that opportunity. On top of the last were Fernando Valenzuela and Pete Rose. “My father always enjoyed watching Valenzuela and Rose so he would constantly talk about those two players and how hard they would play the game. I just wish I could have seen them play live,” he said. “Presently, I have to say Yadier Molina is the player I admire and would model myself against because of his defensive skills.”

But what should also be noted, however, is that Munoz’s defensive abilities are just as strong. In fact, in his first year with Northwestern State, Munoz led the league by picking off 13 runners and throwing out 26 of 64 of those that were attempting to steal for an impressive 41%. Furthermore, his defense continued to improve this past spring, where he posted a .987 fielding percentage and threw out 24 of 69 attempted base stealers.

“My defensive skills have stood out because I take a lot of pride in being a catcher. It is a tough position and always keeps you on your toes. I have a lot more to learn and look forward to the process in getting better,” Munoz said.

In 2009, Munoz, a native of Louisiana, experienced his first opportunity of playing baseball in Canada, as he joined the Thunder Bay Border Cats in the Northwoods League in Thunder Bay, Ontario. There, he played in 50 games, posting a .301 average with 12 RBI and six stolen bases.

Munoz led the league by picking off 13 runners and Munoz showed strong defensive skills at Northwestern state, throwing out 26 of 64 of those that were attempting to steal

“Playing with the Border Cats was a great experience,” Munoz said, “The atmosphere and people were great. My host parents, The Martin family, really made me feel welcomed. It was also the first time I played that many games is such a short time period. In fact, it definitely prepared me for minor league baseball. And the weather during the summer was amazing. It definitely was good to get away from the hot summer in Arizona. . It was my first time in Canada and I loved it.”

Munoz prepared himself for playing baseball again in Canada this year, as he joined the Bluefield Blue Jays this past season. In his first year in a Blue Jays’ uniform, Munoz posted a .231 average with 12 runs, three doubles, and 21 RBIs. He also once again showed stellar defense, committing only three errors behind the plate and posting a .992 fielding percentage. Even more impressively, you caught 17 of 49 base runners, for an impressive 35%.

“In my first year I was lucky enough to play in the town of Bluefield, West Virginia, in which I enjoyed greatly. I will never forget is celebrating with the team after winning our division in the Appy League. Since I’ve never won anything like that before it was something unforgettable.  It meant a lot to us and I know it meant a lot to the community. All in all, my first year was special and is something I will never forget.”

In 2011, with the Bluefield Blue Jays caught 17 of 49 base runners, for an impressive 35%. (Photo Credit: Trey Wilson).

“My best skill at the plate is competing and being able to give a quality at bat to help our team win, while my best skill behind the plate I think are my instincts,” Munoz said, adding, “My off-the-field skill would consist of the type of player I strive to be, which is hardworking, both on and off the field. I feel a person is defined greatly when no one is watching.”

Munoz admits that he plans on using the knowledge he has been taught to become a stronger player. The first step for him, is working as hard as he can during the offseason. “While I plan to spend as much time as I can with my friends and family during this offseason, I also am planning to work hard to prepare myself for the 2012 season. There are many areas I need to work including my physical strength so living in the gym is priority number one,” Munoz said. “It’s not going to be easy but I know all the hard work will pay off!”

JaysProspects wishes Aaron Munoz the best of luck in his future and thanks him kindly for his time.