Paul Abbott (baseball)

Professional career

Abbott began his professional career in the Minnesota Twins farm system after being drafted out of high school, pitching for the Rookie-Level Elizabethton Twins in 1985 at age 18, where he went 1–5 with a 6.94 ERA in 10 starts. The next season he moved to the Class-A Kenosha Twins, going 6–10 with a 4.50 ERA in 25 games, and in 1987 he improved to 13–6 with a 3.65 ERA for Kenosha. In 1988, with the Class-A Visalia Oaks, he went 11–9 with a 4.18 ERA in 28 starts, recording a career-high 172 1/3 innings.

Promoted to the Double-A Orlando Twins in 1989, Abbott went 9–3 with a 4.37 ERA in 17 starts. He began 1990 with the Triple-A Portland Beavers, going 5–14 with a 4.56 ERA in 23 starts, and was called up to the Minnesota Twins on August 21, 1990, where he went 0–5 with a 5.97 ERA in seven starts. Abbott retired with a 43–37 win–loss record and a 4.92 ERA in 162 games.

Coaching career

After retiring, Abbott coached at Fullerton Junior College and later became pitching coach and manager for the independent Orange County Flyers, working with former Los Angeles Angels manager Phil Nevin. He then spent 13 seasons as a pitching coach in the Boston Red Sox organization, serving with the Lowell Spinners, Greenville Drive, Salem Red Sox, Portland Sea Dogs, Pawtucket Red Sox, and Worcester Red Sox. Following the 2023 season, the Red Sox did not renew his contract. On February 5, 2025, the Athletics hired Abbott as pitching coach for their Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas Aviators, after he spent the previous season as pitching coach for the Double-A Midland RockHounds.

Did You Know?

• Abbott played professional baseball for 21 consecutive years from 1985 to 2005, including minor league and independent league service.
• His son Trent was drafted as a pitcher by the Oakland Athletics but did not play professionally.
• Another son played college baseball at Sacramento State before playing in the Seattle Mariners organization.