Shawn Abner
Encyclopedia
Shawn Wesley Abner is a former Major League Baseball
outfielder
who played from to . He is best known for being chosen first in the 1984 Major League Baseball Draft
, although he would go on to have a marginal career.
Abner attended high school at Mechanicsburg Area High School in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
, where he was identified by New York Mets
scouts as an all-around "can't miss" outfield prospect after his sophomore year. He was also a star at football, and his number "16" was retired by the school for use in both sports. The Mets owned the first pick in the 1984 amateur draft and had had recent draft successes with Darryl Strawberry
and Dwight Gooden
, two players who became stars almost immediately despite their young age. Shawn Abner was chosen first in the draft; his brother Ben was also taken, in the fifth round by the Montreal Expos
. Other players chosen in the first round included Bill Swift
, Cory Snyder
, Terry Mulholland
, Jay Bell
, Oddibe McDowell
, and, perhaps most importantly, Mark McGwire
.
Abner never played a game for the Mets. After moving slowly through the minor league system, he was traded after the season to the San Diego Padres
as part of an eight-player deal that sent Kevin Mitchell
to the Padres in exchange for Kevin McReynolds
. The light-hitting Abner played sparingly over the next five seasons for San Diego, being used mostly as a reserve outfielder
. He would be traded to the California Angels
in and signed by the Chicago White Sox
in 1992. His season with the White Sox was probably his best, as he attained a .279 batting average
over 97 games.
However, Abner would injure his knee the following season, while in the Kansas City Royals
organization, and never played in the Majors again. He would end up back in the New York Mets organization in 1995, rehabilitating his knee with the Norfolk Tides
.
He currently works for a beer distributor in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. He is married and has two sons. His oldest son, Jordan, was a starting quarterback for Cumberland Valley High School while his youngest son, Seth in 9th grade, plays football and baseball.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
who played from to . He is best known for being chosen first in the 1984 Major League Baseball Draft
1984 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1984 Major League Baseball draft.- Other notable players :*Future Canadian Football League quarterback Damon Allen, was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the seventh round, 182nd overall....
, although he would go on to have a marginal career.
Abner attended high school at Mechanicsburg Area High School in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
Mechanicsburg is a borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, USA, eight miles west of Harrisburg. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. Mechanicsburg was settled in 1806 and incorporated as a borough on April 12, 1828...
, where he was identified by New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
scouts as an all-around "can't miss" outfield prospect after his sophomore year. He was also a star at football, and his number "16" was retired by the school for use in both sports. The Mets owned the first pick in the 1984 amateur draft and had had recent draft successes with Darryl Strawberry
Darryl Strawberry
Darryl Eugene Strawberry is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder who is well-known both for his play on the field and for his controversial behavior off it...
and Dwight Gooden
Dwight Gooden
Dwight Eugene Gooden , nicknamed "Doc Gooden" or "Dr. K", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was one of the most dominant and feared pitchers in the National League in the middle and late 1980s.-Career:...
, two players who became stars almost immediately despite their young age. Shawn Abner was chosen first in the draft; his brother Ben was also taken, in the fifth round by the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
. Other players chosen in the first round included Bill Swift
Bill Swift
William Charles Swift is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher.After graduating South Portland High School, Swift attended the University of Maine. Swift pitched for the 1984 U.S. Olympic team and was a first-round draft pick by the Seattle Mariners following his senior year at Maine...
, Cory Snyder
Cory Snyder
James Cory Snyder is a former Major League Baseball player for the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, and Los Angeles Dodgers from 1986 to 1994. Snyder's best season came in 1987 with the Indians when he hit 33 home runs and had 82 runs batted in...
, Terry Mulholland
Terry Mulholland
Terence John Mulholland is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He threw left-handed and batted right-handed.-Early and personal life:...
, Jay Bell
Jay Bell
Jay Stuart Bell is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and second baseman who played for the Cleveland Indians , Pittsburgh Pirates , Kansas City Royals , Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets .He played his high school baseball at J.M...
, Oddibe McDowell
Oddibe McDowell
Oddibe McDowell is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played from to for the Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians and Atlanta Braves. McDowell was the first player to hit for the cycle for the Rangers when he accomplished that feat on July 23, 1985...
, and, perhaps most importantly, Mark McGwire
Mark McGwire
Mark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St...
.
Abner never played a game for the Mets. After moving slowly through the minor league system, he was traded after the season to the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
as part of an eight-player deal that sent Kevin Mitchell
Kevin Mitchell (baseball player)
Kevin Darnell Mitchell is a former American Major League Baseball left fielder. He became widely known not only for his occasional brilliance on the field, but also for his unpredictable and sometimes volatile behavior off the field.-New York Mets:In Amazin, Peter Golenbock's oral history of the...
to the Padres in exchange for Kevin McReynolds
Kevin McReynolds
Walter Kevin McReynolds is a former Major League Baseball outfielder with a 12-year career from 1983 to 1994...
. The light-hitting Abner played sparingly over the next five seasons for San Diego, being used mostly as a reserve outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
. He would be traded to the California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
in and signed by the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
in 1992. His season with the White Sox was probably his best, as he attained a .279 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
over 97 games.
However, Abner would injure his knee the following season, while in the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
organization, and never played in the Majors again. He would end up back in the New York Mets organization in 1995, rehabilitating his knee with the Norfolk Tides
Norfolk Tides
The Norfolk Tides are a minor league baseball team in the Triple-A International League. They play at Harbor Park in Norfolk, Virginia. Since 2007 they have been a farm team of the Baltimore Orioles; prior to that, they had a 38-year affiliation with the New York Mets.-Franchise history:The...
.
He currently works for a beer distributor in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. He is married and has two sons. His oldest son, Jordan, was a starting quarterback for Cumberland Valley High School while his youngest son, Seth in 9th grade, plays football and baseball.