He was a left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who debuted for the Cleveland Indians on 20 July 2000, and pitched his final game on 1 October of that same season.

He signed with the San Diego Padres as an amateur free agent in 1990, and began his professional career a year later with the Charleston Rainbows.

[1] Cairncross started the 1994 season with the Quakes, then was promoted to the Wichita Wranglers and the AAA Las Vegas Stars.

He then spent 2000 on the Akron Aeros and with Buffalo and was planned to be named to the Australian national baseball team for the 2000 Olympics, but was instead promoted to the major league roster.

Cairncross got the last two outs in the top of the 13th of an 11–11 game, then Kenny Lofton hit a walk off home run in the bottom of the 13th for a 12–11 victory.