Former OSU star has quickly become a fan favorite in Boston

Former Oregon State slugger Jacoby Ellsbury is living every Little League baseball player’s dream. Tonight, the 24-year-old Madras native is expected to start in the outfield for the Boston Red Sox in the opening game of the World Series.

Two years ago, the left hander helped lead the Beavers in their second trip in school history to the College World Series. Three months ago, he was playing in the Red Sox minor league program. Sunday night, Ellsbury’s dependable glove and confidence at the plate, earned him accolades as Boston came from being down 3 games to 1 to win the American League Championship Series.

Ellsbury played at OSU for three seasons, where he was the 2005 Pac-10 Player of the Year and was named to the Louisville Slugger All-America second team and the College Baseball Foundation’s National Honors Team. He was also Pac-10 All-Academic honorable mention.

Pocketing a $1.4 million signing bonus, Ellsbury was chosen 23rd overall in the 2005 draft by the Red Sox. His two seasons in the Red Sox minor league program have been stellar. In 2006, he batted .303, going 134-for-442 at the plate with 7 home runs and 51 RBI. He played in 111 games, had 41 stolen bases and committed just 2 errors.

His minor league career has included stints with Wilmington in the Carolina League, where he was named to the All-Star team and with Portland (Maine) Sea Dogs, where he hit .308 with 10 doubles, 3 triples and 3 home runs.

On June 30, Ellsbury started in his first Major League game in centerfield for the Red Sox against the Texas Rangers. He has gone on to earn accolades from sports writers and Boston fans alike. In Sunday evening’s ALCS 11-2 championship win over the Cleveland Indians, Ellsbury went 1-for-3 at the plate with a walk and two runs scored. His single in the second inning pushed catcher Jason Varitek to third base. When on base, he’s a threat to opposing pitchers, with a keen ability to steal bases.

He played in 5 games during the series and started two of them. He was at bat 8 times, had 2 hits and scored 3 runs. During the regular season, Ellsbury played in 33 games, had 116 at bats and hit .353 including 7 doubles, 1 triple and 3 home runs. He also drove in 18 runs and stole 9 bases.

Ellsbury is the first Major League player of Navajo American Indian descent. His mother is Navajo and his father is of English and German descent and worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs on the Warm Springs reservation near Madras.