Gavin Fraser has made a baseball career out of proving the doubters wrong.
Officially listed at 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds, the Spruce Grove native was regularly cut from teams growing up because he was thought of as being too small or not ready for the level of baseball he was trying out for.
Instead of packing up his things, Fraser became more determined to keep playing the game he loves.
After spending a few years at St. Francis Xavier Baseball Academy in Edmonton, the infielder caught the attention of recruiters with Cerro Coso Community College, where he only saw action in 14 games during his freshman season.
Fraser kept at it and became a regular on the team as a sophomore, hitting .333 with nine doubles, three triples, 16 runs batted in and nine stolen bases on his way to being named Second-Team All-Conference and a Gold Glove winner.
Before he continues his baseball journey with the University of Pikeville this fall, Fraser is spending the summer in the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) with his hometown team, the Edmonton Prospects.
He joined Alberta Dugout Stories: The Podcast prior to the season to talk about his entire baseball journey, which leads to the latest installment of 7th Inning Stretch.
1. Let’s start here: Gavin Fraser – Second-Team All Conference. What went through your mind when you heard you were being recognized with that?
Honestly, I was surprised. I had a bit of a slow start to the season, but I picked it up a lot in conference play. It was surprising as I had ruled it out of my mind and hearing that I got that honour, it was amazing. The first thing I did was call my dad.
2. You were also named a Gold Glove winner. What did that honour mean to you?
That means more. I’ve always taken pride in my defense, for sure. It’s just the way I play. I love getting dirty and sliding for balls. To get that and be recognized for that is just awesome.
3. Looking back on the season as a whole, how would you grade your performance?
In the end, it feels like I should put it as an “A” because I played so well but I’d say it was a “B.” I started slow but I kept myself afloat by playing really good defence and keeping myself in the lineup. Just doing the little things the right way is just so important. When you’re not playing at your best, you need to be able to help your team in any way you can, even if it’s the little things like cutting the ball just in time so guys don’t get an extra base, anything you can just to keep the team afloat and keep yourself in the lineup until you can heat up at the plate.
4. A little birdie told me that you’ve always been about “learning, enjoying and playing.” What was your mindset like going into the game of baseball when you were growing up?
Yeah for sure. I was small, wasn’t the biggest guy, wasn’t the most talented and I wasn’t blessed with a 90-plus arm. I always felt that if you focus on learning and getting better, you’re going to be okay. Especially for young kids out there, I was maybe 5-foot-2 growing up and I grew to 5-foot-6 and I haven’t really grown since. I’m maybe 5-foot-8 now.
I was always told that I was too small and I got cut from a couple of teams growing up because I was too small or I wasn’t ready yet. I just kept to it and that really motivated me to keep going and learn. I went to St. Francis Xavier Baseball Academy and that really helped me learn a lot over those five years. Just being able to play baseball every day helped me keep in a rhythm and I wasn’t losing any progress over the winter because I wasn’t playing. I feel like that helped me stay to my grind and keep to myself.
There’s so much about not having to sell anyone else on what you’re doing. It’s okay to work in silence. Keep your head down and just work. I feel like that’s really important, especially for kids nowadays with social media. It’s easy to put a lot of stuff out there, but in the end it’s about what you’re doing behind it.
5. It seems a lot of kids, when they get cut, would have just felt like their dream was over, yet you kept going. What inspired you to work even harder, do the best you could and not let anyone tell you what you can or can’t do?
Honestly, my parents have a big influence on that. I always want to impress them, for sure. I love them to death and they give me so many opportunities, so why waste those opportunities? They both grew up on farms, they didn’t get the opportunities that I get and if they’re going to give me these chances, I’m going to get the absolute most of them.
When I got cut from peewee early on, I played house league peewee my first year. I played Double-A my first year in bantam, I played Double-A my first year in midget, never made a Triple-A team right away. I feel like part of it was just having some good friends in Double-A which kept me motivated and made me want to play.
I feel like my parents are such a big influence on that. There’s so much I want to do for them and I feel like the best thing I can do for them right now is let them watch me play and play the best I can. My dad came down so much this year to watch me play and it was awesome. I’ve never seen him smile like that as he watched me play, so that definitely helps.
6. How excited are you for the opportunity to play close to home with the Edmonton Prospects this summer?
I’m so excited to be home. I haven’t been home for a stretch longer than two weeks in three years. That’s going to be awesome to be able to stay at home, see my family and my dogs, for sure. I’m so excited.
(Head coach Jordan) Blundell is a great guy. I’ve known him for a long time now, so I’m excited to play for him. He’s always been asking me to play for them, and this year, I decided this was the year to commit to it. I think it will be fun.
I know lots of guys who are playing with the team and across the WCBL, so it will be awesome to see some of them. Some guys I played with and against in my college days now. I’m excited, it’s going to be awesome.
7. Now that you’re home now, obviously your first mission will be to raid the pantry. But second to that, what is your go-to meal when you are back home?
My favourite meal growing was mashed potatoes and steak. Dad will throw the steaks on, mom throws the potatoes on, and then I ignore the vegetables and pretend they’re not even there. That’s my favourite one, for sure.
Gavin Fraser and the Edmonton Prospects are in the midst of a season-high six-game homestand with dates against the Saskatoon Berries and Brooks Bombers before the WCBL All-Star Game on July 20.
