1/5/11

The Keepers - #9 -oF - Darrell Ceciliani

9. Darrell Ceciliani:


Cecilliani was drafted in the fourth round of the 2009 draft by the Mets.


6-10-2009 from: - http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2009/06/10/608528/mid-columbia-talent-ready-for.html  - Darrell Ceciliani has waited his whole life to be a professional baseball player. "Ever since I could hold a bat," said Ceciliani, a 6-foot-1 right-fielder for Columbia Basin College. He put himself on the radar of many a major league scout with a solid season at the plate while leading CBC into the NWAACC championship game. The left-hander hit .364 and led the Hawks with six triples, four home runs and 40 RBIs as the team's No. 3 hitter. Ceciliani is expected to be chosen somewhere between rounds 4-6 of Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft, which began Tuesday with the first three rounds and concludes today with rounds 4-50 in Secaucus, N.J.


http://www.thenewstribune.com/ : - Darrell Ceciliani, a freshman out of Columbia Basin College, hopes to begin a professional career with the New York Mets after being selected in the fourth round, 134th overall. The 6-1 right fielder out of Madras, Ore., hit .364 and led the Hawks with six triples, four homers and 40 RBIs as the team's No. 3 hitter. But unlike Conley, Ceciliani missed his own selection while sitting in his business salesmanship class at CBC. Once he found out about his selection, however, "I ended up just leaving," he laughed. "I'm definitely leaning toward going pro right now. We're still kind of negotiating contracts and money right now. "I probably won't go for anything less than $250,000."


http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090611/SPORTS05/906110387/1009/NEWS01&nav_category=NEWS01  - After not getting drafted out of high school, Ceciliani, a left-handed outfielder, turned heads immediately at Columbia Basin with his speed and athleticism. The former White Buffalo led CBC in runs scored, doubles, triples, home runs, runs batted in, walks and slugging percentage while helping the Hawks to a 44-7 record. “Being in the Pacific Northwest, you’re under the radar,” said Ceciliani’s father, who also is named Darrell Ceciliani. “Plus, he was in Central Oregon. … He was a three-sport athlete, so he didn’t go to a lot of camps and he had to work (on the family) ranch. But my deal always was, ‘If you’re good enough, you’ll get noticed. They’ll find you.’ ” With a hot start at CBC in the wood-bat Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC), Ceciliani’s name spread like wildfire among pro baseball scouts.


He immediately signed and played the entire season for Kingsport, going .234/.313/.310/.623 in 158 at bats. Only eight of his 37 hits went for extra bases.


6-30-10: - Cecilliani went 3-4 Monday night, which raised his 2010 Brooklyn batting average to .409. Yes, all three were singles, but he still has produced six extra base hits this season, only two less than he did all last season for Kingsport. Cecilliani was a questionable fourth round draft pick last season and most draft experts had him in the 8-15th round projected area. That being said, he’s off to a great start this season, and hopefully we’ll see his first professional home run soon.


7-9-10: - Cecilliani continued to rake, going 3-4 last night against State College. He also stole three bases and raised his hitting stats for the season to: .392/.442/.608/1.050.


7-14-10 from: - http://www.espn.com/  - The Cyclones' roster is old -- all but three players can legally buy alcohol -- and only one legitimate prospect appeared in the game, outfielder Darren Ceciliani, not coincidentally the only 1990 (or later) birth on the club. Ceciliani, who had three hits, has a dead-hands start at the plate, but once he gets his hands going he has a simple, direct swing, one that should produce hard line drives but not much power. He showed a solid approach, including one impressive at bat where he took a fastball on or just off the outside corner to right field for a hard single, a pitch that a lot of minor leaguers would have tried to pull and/or just missed entirely.


7-19-10: - As of 7-19, Ceciliani is leading the NY-Penn league in hitting, with a .397 batting average.


8-2 from: - http://www.brooklyncyclones.com/news/topstories/index.html?article_id=919  - Ceciliani also leads the league in games (43), hits (66), at bats (169), triples (9), total bases (95), and runs scored (38). He is second in on-base percentage (.444), third in extra-base hits (20), tied for third in stolen bases (15), and fourth in slugging percentage (.562). In addition, the Madras, Oregon native has played spectacular defense, patrolling MCU Park's vast centerfield (the deepest in the league, at 412 feet) with speed, agility, and fearlessness. He routinely cuts off sinking liners from falling in front of him, races gap to gap like a thoroughbred to eliminate extra-base hits, and has made run-saving -- and game-saving -- over-the-shoulder catches and sliding catches on the warning track, as well.


8-6-10: - Ceciliani continues to have one hell of a season with Brooklyn. He went 3-5, 1-2B, 1-HR, 4-RBI last night and raised his batting average to .382. Normally, I would say that he is due for a promotion, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the Mets keep him in Brooklyn so they have a better chance in the playoffs. Either way, he's a lock to play next season for St. Lucie, which means a skip over Savannah.


8-7 from: - http://www.brooklyncyclones.com/news/topstories/index.html?article_id=929  - Ceciliani has been perhaps the best all-around player in the NYPL this season, leading the league in average (.387), hits (74), runs (44), triples (10), and total bases (111). He ranks second in extra-base hits (25) and slugging percentage (.581) , and fourth in on-base percentage (.438), and stolen bases (16). Darrell -- a 20-year-old native of Madras, OR -- is the youngest player on the Cyclones, and was selected by the Mets in the fourth round of the 2009 June First-Year Player Draft, out of Columbia Basin CC (OR).


9-15-10: - http://www.brooklyncyclones.com/news/topstories/index.html?article_id=979  - This year, Darrell Ceciliani has been named the Cyclones' Sterling Award winner, on the heels of a record-setting season for the 20-year-old from Madras, Oregon -- the youngest player on the team. Ceciliani's .351 average was the the highest single-season mark in franchise history, and he became the first Cyclones player ever to win the New York-Penn League batting title. Ceciliani set a variety of offensive records this year, in addition to his .351 batting average, also establishing new franchise highs with 95 hits, 56 runs, and 12 triples.


9-27-10 from: - http://www.amazinavenue.com/2010/9/27/1704156/minor-league-season-in-review-brooklyn-cyclones  - After a somewhat inauspicious pro debut last year in Kingsport, Ceciliani blew up this year, establishing himself as one, if not THE, top outfielders in the Mets farm system. The '09 fourth rounder set Brooklyn records for batting average, hits and triples this year on his way to a NYPL Batting Title and organizational Sterling Award. He sported a .410 OBP, was top three in the league in total bases and extra-bases and played gold glove-caliber defense all year; he even batted .474 during the postseason, all this as the youngest player on the team. Now he wasn't without flaw; his 24:56 BB-to-K ratio could use improvement, same goes for his 18.5% K-rate. And for someone so fast he can't be getting caught on the bases 14 out of 31 total attempts (60% sb success rate). The development of his power from gap-to-gap to true home run pop will probably determine whether he jumps up from very good to great prospect status at some point, but either way Ceciliani showed the kind of ability and tools this season to really solidify himself as a top prospect. A jump up to Hi-A St. Lucie in 2011 would certainly be justified if the Mets were so inclined.


9-28-10 from http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/2010/09/28/q-a-with-kevin-goldstein-of-baseball-prospectus  - I wouldn’t call him an impact defender, but he can play the position well, and that gives him a huge leg up, as you can’t say that about most minor league center fielders. What he did offensively this Syear was a very pleasant surprise, and did wonders for his stock. He does need to work on his approach, as he’s a bit of a pitch chaser, and he needs to work on his base running, but he can hit and I like him quite a bit.


11-24-10 from: - http://www.metsgeek.com/showthread.php?658-Mets-Top-Twenty-Prospects&p=187156  - 15. Darrell Ceciliani. The system’s best defensive centerfielder, Ceciliani showed off his offensive skill in his second short season stint. I saw him twice on TV and marveled at his ability to direct the balls into the gaps with his bat. I saw Kenny Lofton do the same thing as an older, more advanced player in Triple A when I was in elementary school. Ceciliani needs to maintain that ability as he advances through the system. That is his ticket to the big leagues. Best case scenario is a good defensive, contact hitting center fielder. Worst case scenario is fading out in double A. He’ll most likely start 2011 in Savannah.


12-23-10 from: - http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=12623  - The Good: Ceciliani projects as a top-of-the-order presence. Using a quick, slashing line-drive swing, he hits lefties and righties equally well, and occasionally stings one into the gap, using his plus speed to turn doubles into triples and also make him a stolen-base threat. He has the speed and instincts to have above-average range in center field.The Bad: Ceciliani needs to grow into his projected role. His approach is far too aggressive, and he could be exposed at the upper levels due to a tendency to chase. He'll never be much of a power threat, and his arm rates as a 40 on the 20-80 scouting scale.

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