The Mets announced today that they have designated outfielder Darrell Ceciliani for assignment, which will clear clear a spot on the team’s 40-man roster for the newly re-signed Yoenis Cespedes (Twitter link).
The 25-year-old Ceciliani made his big league debut with the Mets in 2015 and batted .206/.270/.279 in 75 plate appearances. While that batting clearly leaves something to be desired, Ceciliani posted huge numbers in the (admittedly hitter-friendly) Triple-A Pacific Coast League, batting .345/.398/.581 with nine homers and 16 steals in 255 trips to the plate. Ceciliani has a history of solid production in the minor leagues, and he’s capable of playing all three outfield positions as well. In last season’s highly limited sample (129 total innings between left field and center field), Ceciliani rated at +6 Defensive Runs Saved and +4.2 runs above average, per Ultimate Zone Rating. Ceciliani has bounced around Baseball America’s list of top Mets prospects dating back to 2010, though he’s slipped each season and rated as the team’s No. 31 prospect last offseason.
Terrible move
First guy up if an OF goes on the 60 day/gets traded
Bbref has him listed as a positive oWAR contributor? Interesting.
Here’s a guy O’s sould try to grab
Thought Eric Campbell would have been a more realistic target to DFA.
Ceciliani may not do much with the bat but he did post good numbers in LF and CF defensively.
Campbell on the other hand, can’t hit or field
Absolutely no hin Eric Campbell should have been let go, period. What a lousy “baseball player.”
Ceciliani hit well in the minors his bat should come around in majors
He’s hit better than average in the minors twice, last year in possibly the best hitter’s park in the country, and in his first full season in the minors in 2010. Last year, he was thoroughly embarrassed in the Majors, striking out almost 30% more than he walked while hitting barely over .200 thanks to some batted ball luck. I like his talent, have since that breakout 2010 season, but the best case scenario for him, barring any massive improvements that don’t seem likely at this point, is a glove-first platoon player.
Not bad but I doubt his bat is going to come around when his best season in the last five is one due entirely to his environment.
Campbell is the first one up in event of any IF injury.
I’m so proud of you guys
Kid can play defense and has speed, but he’s a major offensive hole. Struck out literally a third of the time (33.3%), doesn’t get on base and even got a little batted ball luck last year. He’ll probably get nabbed but with Nimmo most likely the first OF to be called on in case of injury, and two similar players already on the ML roster in Lagares (glove first player) and De Aza (LHB), it’s simply a case of redundancy. Kirk and den Dekker were/are better players and they’re fourth OFers at best.
I wonder how a combination of Ceciliani and Torreyes in a lineup as the leadoff and number two hitter would do. 75 at bats is such a small sample and Ronald strikesout so little. I’m thinking it would be a good placement for a team who is looking at Quadra-A players who need outfield help as well as another infielder and play primarily in Philadelphia.
I would still take him if I was a GM
Cecilliani is fine as the first or second call up on a second division team. He’s not a bad guy to stash in AAA if you can, but there will be dozens of guys of his ilk available between now and the trade deadline. Nothing to cry over.