Lefty is Class-A Auburn's MVP

By Larry Millson
Baseball America
February 11 - 24, 2008; p.30

[Editor's note: Brett Cecil pitched for the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts in 2005. He led the league with 52 strikeouts in 49.2 innings. Cecil made both the Cal Ripken, Sr. League All-Star Team and All-League Team in 2005.]

Brett Cecil built his reputation as a reliever at Maryland. But he was moved to a starter's role after the Blue Jays made him their third pick in the 2007 draft and the 38th player taken overall.

The lefthander made 13 starts in his 14 outings for short-season Auburn and was 1-0, 1.27 with 56 strikeouts in 50 innings.

Cecil, who was the winning pitcher in the game that clinched Auburn the New York-Penn League championship, was named winner of the organizational R. Howard Webster Award as Auburn's most valuable player. He also earned the league's top prospect ranking.

It's not unusual for a college reliever to become a professional starter. Shaun Marcum has done it for the Blue Jays and is part of the major league rotation. Dave Bush also did it and is starting now for the Brewers.

''I'm glad I went to college,'' Cecil said. ''It helped me out a lot, especially moving from the seventh round out of high school to the compensatory round and the 38th overall pick.''

Cecil, 21, mixes a 92 mph fastball with an 86 mph slider that he uses as his out pitch, and he also throws a split-finger pitch.

Two seasons ago, Cecil set a Maryland single-season record with 13 saves. He pitched in the Cape Cod League and held batters to a .184 average and was 1-0, 2.17. He returned to Maryland in 2007 and had eight saves while going 5-6, 3.32 in 30 appearances.

Courtesy of Baseball America. Copyright 2008.