Profile Interview: LBCC Pitcher Gabe Brabec

Gabe Brabec has been playing baseball for pretty much his entire life. If you watched him pitch, you’d understand why.

Brabec played a major part in Linn-Benton’s success this past season, winning nine games on the mound for the Roadrunners. Brabec had the third-best ERA among pitchers in the entire NWAC and recorded a formidable 99 strikeouts throughout the season. Brabec’s impressive season led to him getting named to the first team for the NWAC South All-Region team.

Brabec is from Ashland, Oregon, about 30 minutes from the border of Oregon and California. After pitching at Ashland High School, Brabec earned the opportunity to join the Linn-Benton baseball team. Following a successful first season culminating in an NWAC championship, Brabec plans on playing for Gonzaga University next year. Once he graduates college, Brabec intends to pursue an aviation career, a field in which his family has a long history.

My interview with Brabec took place just before the NWAC Playoffs.

How did you find out about LBCC? 

I was playing summer baseball with a couple of the players that are on this team, namely Ethan Buckley and Aidan Dougherty. They helped me get in touch with Andy Peterson and they helped me get what I needed to come to Linn-Benton and play baseball here. 

What made you decide to play baseball here? 

Linn-Benton has a very long history of being able to develop players to want to be able to win baseball games and they obviously are winning a lot. They won (the NWAC) two years ago and we’re hoping to do it this year. Obviously, last year didn’t go according to plan and they’re really hungry to get that sort of thing straightened out. They are a team that is going to be in the NWAC tournament every year and they just want to win.

Do you have any idols or role models?

Definitely my coaches back home. My grandfather as well. A couple of major league baseball players here and there. Coaches are someone who I definitely look up to and a couple of the players on this team as well. High school coaches and summer ball coaches, those guys definitely helped me develop into the baseball player I wanted to be.

Do you have a goal for yourself next year? 

Next year, Gonzaga University has allowed me to join their baseball program and they’re allowing me to go up there and play baseball up there. They have a history of developing pitchers and the coaching staff was very welcoming. They took care of me and my family and they obviously wanted to recruit me as one of their baseball players. I thought that was really awesome and I’m excited to go there. 

What’s your favorite part about being on the team here? 

Probably the love that we have for each other. We all respect each other and play for each other. We just want to win baseball games for each other. It’s really awesome to be part of that team dynamic every day. 

Do you have a favorite memory from this season? 

During the Umpqua series and before the Saturday series, I believe it was against Lane, I threw my hat. Dick McClain, pretty much the sponsor of all of our Linn-Benton athletics, made a rule that if you throw your hat you have to go apologize to the scoreboard because his name sits on top of the scoreboard. I (threw my hat) one day and sat there for 30 minutes and then I did it another day like two days afterward and had to sit there for another hour. 

What do you think is your favorite memory from your entire time playing baseball? 

This season in general has probably been my favorite year of my career. It’s my first year of college baseball, so I had no idea what the dynamic was like, but it’s been great. The guys are awesome. The team has really helped each other work towards a singular goal and helped them become baseball players alongside that. It’s really paid off for a lot of us that are moving on to the next level. 

You have one of the best ERA’s in the entire NWAC and you’re top 10 in Strikeouts, what has motivated you to have the season you’re having? 

Just the fact that the guys really wanted me to come here and the fact that they really wanted me to succeed. Overall, that’s really motivated me to become a better baseball player and to them that I was worth their while to have to get me to come here. Andy Peterson has been really supportive. Cole Stringer, our pitching coach, has also been really supportive. That and just, when you go to a junior college, you’re kind of overlooked by other baseball programs, so you’re just kind of like “Welp, why not me?” You just have to give it your all and try and do your best to prove it to them.

What are your plans after graduating from college?

Probably pursue aviation to some degree, commercial aviation. I'm not fully decided on a company I want to work for yet, but it’s just something I want to pursue later in life as soon as baseball’s over. My uncles and my cousins are all pilots to some degree. They all helped me out on that program before I came to Linn-Benton. 

Outside of baseball what do you enjoy doing? 

It’s been really busy with baseball so mostly just school, hanging out with roommates, and hanging out with family whenever I can. Yeah pretty much just school and baseball to be honest. That’s what most student athletes do, I’m sure that’s similar to every answer you get. 

At A Glance 

Name: Gabe Brabec 

Hometown: Ashland, Oregon 

Position: Pitcher 

Throws: Right-Handed

Year in College: Freshman 

Major: Business Accounting

Plans after College: Aviation following the conclusion of Baseball Career.