Jim Abbott (minor leaguer)

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James Michael Abbott

BR Minors page

Biographical information[edit]

Jim Abbott - who is of no relation to the former major league pitcher Jim Abbott - is a former minor league baseball pitcher who played from 2000 to 2006 in the Minnesota Twins and Cincinnati Reds farm systems.

Originally drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 23rd round of the 1997 amateur draft, Abbott chose not to sign. He would never be drafted again, however he did sign with the Twins as an undrafted free-agent on August 17, 1999.

He pitched in only two games in his first professional season. With the Elizabethton Twins, he went 0-0 with 19 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings of work. The following season - this time playing for the GCL Twins - he again appeared in only two games, posting a 5.40 ERA in 1.2 innings of work.

2002 was his first "full" season. In 29 games - 21 of which were starts - he went 4-8 with a 3.90 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 131 2/3 innings of work. He played his entire season with the Quad City River Bandits.

In 2003 he performed exceptionally well, splitting time between the Fort Myers Miracle and New Britain Rock Cats. In 27 games combined (16 starts), he went 9-5 with a 2.45 ERA. He also struck out 83 batters in 103 1/3 innings of work. That success did not carry over into 2004, as he went a mediocre 3-6 with a 5.06 ERA in 94 innings with the Rock Cats.

He did not rebound in 2005, as he went 7-6 with a 5.77 ERA in 30 games (12 starts). He split time between the Rock Cats and Rochester Red Wings.

In an unknown transaction, Abbott wound up in the Reds organization in 2006. Splitting time between the Sarasota Reds and Chattanooga Lookouts, he went a combined 3-2 with a 4.22 ERA.

Overall, Abbott went 27-27 with a 4.22 ERA in seven minor league seasons. He walked 155 and struck out 366 in 484 2/3 innings of work.

Sources[edit]