Coming Soon to a Ballpark Near You: Jacoby Ellsbury

Name: Jacoby Ellsbury
Team: Boston Red Sox
DOB: September 11, 1983
Drafted: 23rd Round (Tampa Bay), 2002 – did not sign; 1st Round (23 overall, Boston), 2005.
Acquired: Draft
Awards: 2006 Carolina League All Star; 2006 Arizona Fall League All Star; 2007 Futures Game; 2007 AL Rookie of the Month – September.

Stats:

Background:
Ellsbury was drafted out of high school in 2002 by the Devil Ray; he did not sign and attended Oregon State University. After a stellar career for the Beavers, where he was a PAC-10 All Star and All American, he was selected in the first round by Red Sox in 2005.

He quickly signed and began his career with the Lowell Spinners, the Red Sox Short Season A team in the New York-Penn League. It was quickly known that his patience and speed were what he built his game around.

2006 started with a promotion to the Wilmington Blue Rock in Hi A ball (skipping Lo A). He spent half the season here, becoming an All Star in the process. He was promoted to Double A Portland Sea Dogs in July. He continued to build upon the success he’s had in his career. The Red Sox named him their Defensive Player of the Year and Base Runner of the Year. He finished the year playing for the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League, where most top prospects play fall baseball.

He was invited to Major League camp in 2007. Many in the organization took note of him; he played in 8 games for the Red Sox that spring before being re-assigned to minor league camp. He began the season back in Double A, but was promoted after a month. Ellsbury. With the Pawtucket Red Sox, he was selected to the Futures Game; he was then removed from the USA Roster since he was promoted to the Red Sox in late June. After 6 games in the majors, he was sent back to Pawtucket and was reinstated to the Futures Game, in place of injured Cameron Maybin. He spent the rest of the year in minors, except for 1 game in August, until Major League rosters expanded in September.

He played well enough in September that he was able to make the post season roster through a loop hole (Only players on the Major League roster before September 1st are eligible for the post season roster; players added on/after September 1st can replace an injured player that was on the roster). He split the post season centerfield play with Coco Crisp.

Coming into 2008, Ellsbury was believed to be the team’s centerfielder, even though it was Crisp’s position. Ellsbury won the position out of Spring Training and is the current starting centerfielder. He’s considered one of the top candidates for Rookie of the Year (since he didn’t have enough at bats last season to lose his rookie status).

Rookie Cards (base):
2005 Bowman Draft
2005 Bowman Heritage
2005 Topps Update

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