Farmhand impresses on and off the field
Ceciliani could be Jays outfielder
Outfielder Darrell Ceciliani has been a big success down on the farm and down on the ranch.
As a 2009 New York Mets draft pick, Ceciliani has put together some excellent seasons in the Mets’ farm system, culminating with a call- up to the Major Leagues for 39 games last year before being traded to the Blue Jays on Feb. 2. His performance so far at spring training has been so impressive, Toronto manager John Gibbons says there’s a chance he’ll be named the club’s fourth outfielder when the regular season starts on April 3. “Love him,” Gibbons said. “I heard he’s hard- nosed, good base- runner, good outfielder, just a complete player. He’s just looking for his opportunity.”
Ceciliani, 25, may have found that with the Jays. Heading into Thursday’s spring training games, the outfielder leads all Toronto batters with a .444 average in 10 games. He has eight hits in 18 atbats, including a grand slam against the Minnesota Twins last week.
Gibbons said Ceciliani was recommended to the Jays by the club’s former GM, J. P. Ricciardi, now a special assistant to Mets GM Sandy Alderson.
“J. P. spoke very highly of him, and that’s good enough for me,” Gibbons said.
There’s nothing particularly unique about a hard- nosed, goodhitting outfielder. But what makes Ceciliani stand out is the fact he grew up on a 17,000- acre ranch in the Oregon back country, operated by his dad, Darrell Ceciliani II, and his brother Derek, and he still lives and works there in the off- season.
The ranch, called Rocker Three Ranch, is about 15 kilometres from the closest town, Madras, where Ceciliani excelled at baseball, basketball and football at Madras High School.
“Football was my favourite,” said Ceciliani, who carried 160 pounds on his 5- 9 frame in high school.
“If I could have went and played big- time football somewhere I would have. But obviously, with the size and everything, it was kind of out of the question. But that’s how I try to carry my mentality in baseball. It’s a football mentality. Just go out and grind.”
Ceciliani was certainly a longshot to make it as a pro in baseball. While highly skilled, he wasn’t able to travel much with the local rep team because of work commitments on the ranch. Despite that, he turned enough heads to be drafted in the fourth round by the Mets. And when his baseball career ends, he said, he’ll be back working the ranch.
“We run cattle out there, anywhere from 400 to 600 head, and it’s a non- stop battle,” Ceciliani said.
“We also have a little huntingfishing business. It’s just awesome, a good place to get away to after the baseball season.”
Ceciliani is also a big- time hunter: “We go out and hunt deer, elk ... predator hunt, coyotes, bobcats,” he said. “It’s a good place to get away and just go to enjoy life, you know, out in the country. With nobody around.”
As for baseball, “I’m trying not to look at the numbers here, just how I go about my business and play the game,” he said. “My main goal is to just to come in here and show these guys what I got … so I’m trying to leave as good an impression as I can.”