JASPER, Fla. — Major League Baseball player Steve Pearce paid a visit to Jasper over the weekend.  

The 2018 World Series MVP for the Boston Red Sox was in town to spend time with family at the Friers Hunting Lodge.

“It’s great to see the family,” Pearce said. “I get to bring my daughter here, go hunting, catch up and tell stories. Sometimes it powers you through the season.

“When you get to the tough times, I think about moments like this.”

Some of the relatives Pearce was visiting are also accomplished athletes. Pearce’s cousins include some football greats who played at Suwannee High and Florida State University — Matt and Todd Frier.  

The Friers have attended several of Pearce’s spring training games in Florida, as well as regular season games when he played with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Todd was even on hand in Baltimore in 2013 to see Pearce play with the Orioles. 

While Todd was on a trip with his daughter to Washington D.C., he made the drive to Camden Yards in Baltimore to see the Orioles’ home opener. 

“That was a cool phone call,” Pearce said. “I was like, ‘you’re here?’ I didn’t have anybody here. That was great. 

“These two (Todd and Matt Frier) were my heroes growing up.”

Pearce, who grew up in Lakeland as a Red Sox fan, batted .333 with three home runs and eight RBIs in the 2018 World Series as Boston defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games.    

“As a kid that’s everything you dreamed of,” said Pearce, a 12-year MLB veteran. “You make the World Series with your favorite team. And to win the MVP is the cherry on top.”

Matt Frier, who played professional football after his time at FSU, spoke about the admiration he has for his cousin. 

“He has a lot of humility,” Frier said. “We’ve been around a lot of superstars. The reason we are Steven’s biggest fans is not just because he is our cousin, but he is humble. 

“I’ve got three boys and Todd has two children. The thing that makes me proud of Steven being my cousin is that he’s a good role model for our kids.”