By Mark Fisher

DUNEDIN, Fla. - Brock Lundquist was only three years old when his father first placed a bat and ball in his hands.

He’s come a long way since those days when he played with his sister’s all-girls’ team coached by their father.

After back-to-back Sunset League titles at Fountain Valley (Calif.) High School, Lundquist was selected by Oakland in the 37th round of the 2014 draft.

But the outfielder had his mind set on defence and his own maturity. He knew the chance to play for nearby Long Beach State would be more beneficial.

“I had my mind set on college,” Lundquist said, at the Toronto Blue Jays’ spring complex. “I wanted to go to Long Beach State. I wanted to get closer to a college education and (to) finishing school.”

Lundquist thanks Long Beach State coach Troy Buckley for helping him master the mental aspect of the game.

“Very knowledgeable guy. He knows just about everything and anything about baseball,” Lundquist said. “The biggest part about Long Beach State is the mental part of the game and how you need to go up to the plate and he was really into taking a breath and flushing out all the negative stuff.”

In high school, Lundquist played with both sons of Joey Aversa, the Toronto scout in the area, developed a strong relationship with him, and said he planned to leave Long Beach State after his junior year.

One day in June 2017, “I had all my family and friends over at the house watching the TV, watching the draft. … (Joey) gave me a call before I got drafted and he’s like, ‘Hey, be watching the TV right now I think this is your round right here.’”

The Blue Jays picked him in the sixth round.

Lundqvist played for rookie league Vancouver that year and for class-A Lansing and Dunedin last year. He hopes to start 2019 with the double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats.

“That just all depends on how hard I work in spring training and I’m going to give it my all. Just go out there and play, get better every single day and have a leadership role in the outfield.”

He got his first taste of big-league spring training on March 1 when he drew a walk against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

“You know I want to have fun but I’m also taking the game very seriously. I’m literally just coming out and doing whatever I can for the team. I don’t know, just being a version of myself I guess.”