Chuck Abbott

Charles Anthony Abbott

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 180 lb.
• School Austin Peay State University
• High School Schaumburg High School

• Born January 25, 1975 in Schaumburg, IL USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Chuck Abbott is a former minor league baseball infielder who primary played shortstop and second base during his six-year minor league career. He played from 1996 to 2001 in what is now the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim farm system and also the Cleveland Indians farm system.

Before being drafted, he had twice been named an Ohio Valley Conference All-Star - in 1994 and 1996 - while at Austin Peay State University. He set the OVC record for longest hitting streak in 1996 when he hit safely in 42 games. This streak is the fourth longest in NCAA history. He hit .376 in 64 games with 22 doubles, four home runs, 22 steals and 33 RBI while with Austin Peay prior to being drafted in 1996. He tied for the OVC lead in steals and was 5th in average. [1]

He was selected in the second round - 55th overall - by the California Angels in the 1996 amateur draft and was actually their top draft pick that year (they had lost their top choice as compensation for their signing of Randy Velarde)

His professional career started off rather unsuccessfully as he hit .198 in 268 at-bats for the Boise Hawks in 1996, his first professional year. He posted an OPS of only .518 - his on-base percentage was only .272 and his slugging percentage was an even worse .246.

He followed his rookie professional season with an improved - albeit still fairly poor - sophomore season. He played in 133 games for the Cedar Rapids Kernels collecting 120 hits in 520 at-bats for a .231 batting average. A free swinger, Abbott struck out 170 times and walked only 62 times. Despite his overall poor performance, his 31 stolen bases were perhaps the highlight of his season.

Playing for the Midland Angels in 1998, Abbott hit above .250 for the first (and only) time of his career. He collected 138 hits in 525 at-bats for a .263 batting average. He walked only 38 times while striking out 135 times, and his number of steals dropped to 16 that season. He led the Texas League's shortstops in fielding percentage (.955), putouts (195), assists (337) and double plays (70).

With the Erie Sea Wolves in 1999, Abbott played in 125 games, collecting 106 hits in 444 at-bats for a .239 batting average. His 138 strikeouts were the second highest total of his career, as were his 47 walks.

He spent time with both the Sea Wolves and the Edmonton Trappers in 2000. In 97 games with the Sea Wolves, he hit .248 and in five games with the Trappers he hit .200. Combined, his batting average was .246. He walked only 22 times and struck out 101 times in 345 at-bats that year.

2001 would prove to be Abbott's final season in professional baseball. He played in only 21 games that year, 17 for the Salt Lake Stingers and four for the Akron Aeros, in the Indians farm system. He struck out over 40% of the time that year, while his batting average was only .160. He struck out 21 times in 50 at-bats and collected only eight hits.

Abbott's career was cut short due to an arm injury.

Overall, Chuck Abbott played in 583 games in the minors, collecting 510 hits in 2152 at-bats for a .237 batting average. He slugged 80 doubles, 21 triples and 23 home runs for a .326 slugging percentage, and he scored 317 times while driving in 233 runs. His strikeout to walk ratio was over 3-to-1: he walked only 197 times and struck out 624 times. Abbott's on base percentage was .301. He stole 71 bases in 111 chances for a 64% success rate.

Not only was Abbott a liability at the plate during his career, he was also a liability in the field at times. For example, in 59 games at shortstop in 1996, he committed 32 errors for a .898 fielding percentage. His sometimes unspectacular fielding in the minors had to have been fairly unexpected, because Abbott - according to one source - was "unquestionably the best shortstop I have seen play at Austin Peay. He has those unbelievably quick feet at shortstop with an outstanding arm and quick release." [2]

Since retiring from baseball, Abbott has worked at Fox Valley Sports Academy in Elgin, IL and has also worked as a teacher. In 2005, he was inducted into Austin Peay University Athletic Hall of Fame.

References

• Fox Valley Sports Academy
• The Baseball Cube