Editing Cecil Fielder (section)

==Early career==
Fielder attended [[Nogales High School (La Puente, California)|Nogales High School]] in [[La Puente, California]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Former Nogales Baseball Players Drafted – Baseball |url=http://www.nogaleshs.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=83782&type=d&pREC_ID=698107 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171006112514/http://www.nogaleshs.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=83782&type=d&pREC_ID=698107 |archive-date=October 6, 2017 |access-date=May 7, 2018 |website=[[Nogales High School (La Puente, California)|Nogales High School]] |df=mdy-all}}</ref> He was named an [[All-America]]n while playing for the school's baseball team in 1981.<ref>{{cite web |last=Ramirez |first=Stephen |date=May 14, 2014 |title=John Romano set to end his legacy at Nogales High School |url=http://www.sgvtribune.com/2014/05/14/john-romano-set-to-end-his-legacy-at-nogales-high-school/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171006112650/http://www.sgvtribune.com/2014/05/14/john-romano-set-to-end-his-legacy-at-nogales-high-school/ |archive-date=October 6, 2017 |access-date=May 7, 2018 |website=[[San Gabriel Valley Tribune]] |df=mdy-all}}</ref> He enrolled at the [[University of Nevada, Las Vegas]] (UNLV), where he played [[college baseball]] for the [[UNLV Rebels baseball]] team. Fielder was drafted by the [[Baltimore Orioles]] in the 31st round (767th overall) of the [[1981 Major League Baseball draft]], but did not sign.<ref>{{Cite web |title=31st Round of the 1981 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/index.fcgi?year_ID=1981&draft_round=31&draft_type=junreg&query_type=year_round |access-date=December 30, 2024 |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He was drafted by the [[Kansas City Royals]] in the fourth round (67th overall) of the [[1982 Major League Baseball draft|1982 MLB draft]], and this time did sign.<ref>{{Cite web |title=4th Round of the 1982 MLB June Draft-Secondary Phase |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/index.fcgi?year_ID=1982&draft_round=4&draft_type=junsec&query_type=year_round |access-date=December 30, 2024 |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Miech |first=Rob |date=August 5, 2008 |title=The short UNLV baseball career of slugger Cecil Fielder |url=https://lasvegassun.com/blogs/sports/2008/aug/05/short-unlv-baseball-career-slugger-cecil-fielder/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171006113446/https://lasvegassun.com/blogs/sports/2008/aug/05/short-unlv-baseball-career-slugger-cecil-fielder/ |archive-date=October 6, 2017 |access-date=May 7, 2018 |website=[[Las Vegas Sun]] |df=mdy-all}}</ref> On February 5, 1983, Fielder was traded to the [[Toronto Blue Jays]] for [[Leon Roberts]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 5, 1983 |title=The Toronto Blue Jays have acquired designated hitter-first baseman... |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1983/02/05/The-Toronto-Blue-Jays-have-acquired-designated-hitter-first-baseman/6678413269200/ |access-date=December 30, 2024 |website=[[United Press International]] |language=en}}</ref>

The Blue Jays promoted Fielder to the major leagues on July 18, 1985.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=September 15, 1985 |title=The Blue Jays Purchased a Fielder--but What They Got Was a Hitter |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-09-15-sp-23416-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180507100922/http://articles.latimes.com/1985-09-15/sports/sp-23416_1_press-box |archive-date=May 7, 2018 |access-date=May 7, 2018 |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |df=mdy-all |agency=[[United Press International]]}}</ref> Fielder became a part-time first and third baseman for the Blue Jays, sharing playing time with [[Willie Upshaw]] and [[Fred McGriff]].<ref>{{cite news |date=March 26, 1988 |title=SPORTS PEOPLE; Upshaw Joins Indians |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/03/26/sports/sports-people-upshaw-joins-indians.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171006113507/http://www.nytimes.com/1988/03/26/sports/sports-people-upshaw-joins-indians.html |archive-date=October 6, 2017 |access-date=May 7, 2018 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Fielder hit .243 with 31 home runs and 84 [[Run batted in|runs batted in]] (RBI) across four seasons with the team, earning $125,000 in his final season.<ref name="baseball-reference1" />