 Abner attended high school at Mechanicsburg Area High School in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where he was identified by New York Mets scouts as an all-around "can't miss" outfield prospect after his sophomore year.He was also a star at football, and his number "16" was retired by the school for use in both sports.The Mets made him the first pick in the 1984 amateur draft, having had recent draft successes with Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden, two players who became stars almost immediately despite their young age.