December 31, 2016
Aaron Attaway finding success in the infield. (Kyle Castle)
Using his versatility to his advantage in professional baseball, infielder Aaron Attaway is on the right track to earning more playing time in the future.
Finding that time shouldn’t be an issue as Attaway currently plays three positions; With the ability to man second base, third base, or shortstop on any given night gives him an advantage over others in the organization.
But it doesn’t matter to Attaway where he plays as he admits he always gives his all every night he’s in the lineup.
“My goal is to come to the ballpark every day and give 100% and play my role,” stated Attaway. “I’m willing to perform in any role the coaches have for me. When I’m put in a role, I’m going to give it my all, and I’m always focused on getting better every day.”
Playing primarily at second base last year, Attaway logged 283 innings at the position between low-A and high-A ball. The prospect maintained a .975 fielding percentage at second, as he assisted on 80 plays, and took part in 13 double plays on the season.
Transitioning to play third base in professional baseball, Attaway recorded 43 innings at the challenging position in 2016. Despite the small sample size, the prospect looked comfortable at the hot corner as he susccessfully converted nine of his 10 chances there.
Attaway believes the biggest difference between playing second and third is the timing you have to make plays.
“You have to change your sights at every spot,” explained Attaway. “At second base you have a shorter throw, you have more time, and you’re not crossing the bag on a double play. Third base you need to be ready every pitch. It was a really big adjustment, but in the off-season I try to prepare for every situation and be ready for any moment.”
One of the toughest parts of the professional game for Attaway so far in his career is finding consistency at the plate.
Finishing 2016 with a .206/.291/.290 slash line wasn’t completely ideal for the young infielder, but despite the lower numbers he showed some pop in his bat.
Recording eight doubles, a triple, and a home run in his 32 hits on the season showed some potential that could play up the levels with more opportunities at the plate in the near future.
Crediting the quality of pitching for his inconsistency at the plate, Attaway talks about the transition of going from college baseball to the professional game.
“The biggest adjustment between college and professional baseball is just playing every day at a higher level of play,” said Attaway. “In professional baseball you see great pitching every night. The pitchers are able to add and take off as needed, so it’s important to pay attention to each detail. I feel every detail gets smaller and smaller as you move up, so you have to pay attention to every detail to have success.”
With this attitude towards his offensive game it won’t take long for Aaron Attaway to figure everything out at the plate and make continual progress in the Toronto Blue Jays system.