Twenty-three-year old Brett Cecil tossing for the Toronto Blue Jays. JL Photog/flickr.com
Like the average child growing up, Brett Cecil played little league baseball at the age of four.
He now pitches in the Majors for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Currently residing in Clearwater, Fla., Cecil was born in Annapolis, Md.
His talent for the game came early, as by the age of 12 he found himself going outside of his hometown to find better competition. He spent a summer playing in Cooperstown, N.Y., the location of the Baseball Hall of Fame. When he was 13, his team played in the World Series of the Babe Ruth League, a tournament for talented youths.
Cecil played for a high school known for its outstanding sports programs, DeMatha Catholic located in Washington, D.C.
Unlike football, baseball players can be drafted as early as high school, thus forgoing college.
With all of his talent Cecil had the opportunity to play pro-ball straight out of high school, but a slight setback caused him to stay in school.
“When I was a junior in high school, they said I could’ve been a first round pick. Then, the next year [my velocity] was 87, 88 [miles per hour and] not really consistent with anything, which was probably a good thing because I went to college and got something there that I didn’t really think I’d ever [get],” Cecil said.
During his second year of college at the University of Maryland, Cecil was informed by his coaches that he would be used as a closer because his velocity was back up in the mid-90’s.
Accustomed to being a starting pitcher, Cecil was slightly disgruntled at this decision. He quickly realized, however, that he greatly appreciated the new role.
“I’ve never had so much fun. Just the intensity level of pitching in that situation was unbelievable and it’s something I’ll never forget. If I got asked to do it today, then h— yeah, I’m there,” said Cecil.
Cecil attended Maryland for three years until he was drafted with the 38th overall pick by the Toronto Blue Jays. He signed with the team shortly after.
“I don’t like to wait around for anything so I signed right away,” said Cecil. “They kind of used me as an example to the draftees through the years, [like] ‘look at Cecil, he signed a week, or a couple days later, he’s got his s— started and look where he’s at today.”’
Cecil believes that while he has served as a starter in the Toronto organization, his ability to also close was appealing to the Jays.
“You could say I guess they just drafted me to draft me. I got drafted as a pitcher. I think that was one of the more valuable points, was that I could do either/or, but they wanted to start me. My whole minor league career, I came out of the bullpen once, then I started the rest of the way.”
His minor league career was successful, and thus brief. He began in 2007 by playing a short season for Toronto’s minor league affiliate in Auburn, N.Y., where his team won a championship.
He then moved up through the minors fairly quickly, playing for the single-A advanced Dunedin Blue Jays for only a month, then the double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats for a summer and finally Toronto’s triple-A affiliate for two months.
He was called up to the Majors on May 1, 2009.
His first stint in the big leagues did not last long, as he was back at triple-A after about six weeks.
However, the nature of the game took effect, and with ace pitcher Roy Halladay’s injury, Cecil was called back up to Toronto and stayed there for the rest of the season.
Cecil certainly had a great deal of pressure placed on him to perform well, whether it is in the minors or major league.
“The pressure builds as you go up,” said Cecil, “but nothing compares to your first major league start and nothing compares to your first major league start in Yankee stadium. There’s some steps.”
Cecil recalled the nervousness that nearly overwhelmed him during his first start in the Majors.
Despite his knees shaking, Cecil only allowed one earned run in six innings against the Cleveland Indians. How did he manage to fight off the nerves?
“I don’t know, there’s really no way to explain it. Like I said, my knees were shaking and I’m up there and I’m like ‘s— what do I do now,;” Cecil joked. “I kind of just locked up for a second and kind of had to remind myself ‘hey, you gotta pitch now.”
What’s more, Cecil pitches in Major League Baseball’s (MLB) American League East, which means he must face the brutal lineups of the Red Sox, Rays and Yankees. Growing up, Cecil rooted for the Yankees and watched players like Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriquez.
A few years later, he is pitching against the very same players.
Cecil had a realization of what he had accomplished after facing the Yankee lineup for the first time.
“After the fact I was like, ‘Wow, I’ve actually made it this far.’ Not many guys can say they’ve pitched against any big leaguer, let alone two Hall of Famers,” said Cecil.
Obviously you have to be extremely physically gifted to make it as far as Cecil has in such a short amount of time, but he also attributes mental strength to being a solid pitcher.
“A lot of it, I would say is psychological and mental. If you’re not mentally prepared, you don’t even have to worry about the physical side of it. If you’re not mentally prepared, then you might as well not go out on the mound,” Cecil said.
At the age of only 23, Cecil has more to prove before leaving his mark in the Majors.
A countless number of players swiftly enter and exit the MLB without leaving a memorable footprint behind.
Cecil, with a record of 7-4, has shown he can pitch in the MLB.
He trusts that in the end, hard work always pays off.
“The work you put into [it] is what you get out of it,” Cecil said. “That’s what my dad always told me and [he also told me] that the other guy is working harder than you.”
With Roy Halladay having been traded to Philadelphia this offseason, the Blue Jays are without a bona fide ace.
While Cecil isn’t expecting to fill that position just yet, he believes that if he does well in spring training, he can become a solid pitcher in the middle of the Jays’ rotation.
He says, however, that he would be content with contributing to the team in any way.
“If I’m up there, and I’m pitching frequently, and helping them out, then I’m happy,” said Cecil.
Daniel Feingold can be reached at dfeingold@ut.edu.
