| Slade Cecconi | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Cecconi with theArizona Diamondbacks in 2024 | |
| Cleveland Guardians – No. 44 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1999-06-24)June 24, 1999 (age 26) Oviedo, Florida, U.S. | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| August 2, 2023, for the Arizona Diamondbacks | |
| MLB statistics (through 2025 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 9–15 |
| Earned run average | 5.07 |
| Strikeouts | 193 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| |
Slade Gustave Cecconi (/sɛˈkoʊni/seh-KOH-nee;[1] born June 24, 1999) is an American professionalbaseballpitcher for theCleveland Guardians ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for theArizona Diamondbacks. He made his MLB debut in 2023.
Cecconi attendedTrinity Preparatory School inWinter Park, Florida, where he playedbaseball.[2] As a junior in 2017, he went 6–1 with a 0.70 ERA and seventy strikeouts over forty innings.[3][4] That summer, he was selected to play in theUnder Armour All-America Baseball Game atWrigley Field.[5] In 2018, his senior year, he batted .388 with six home runs.[6] He was selected by theBaltimore Orioles in the 38th round of the2018 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign, instead enrolling at theUniversity of Miami where he playedcollege baseball.[7]
In 2019, Cecconi's freshman year with theMiami Hurricanes, he appeared in 17 games (13 starts) in which he went 5–4 with a 4.16 ERA, striking out 89 batters over eighty innings.[8] He was selected to play in theCape Cod Baseball League for theWareham Gatemen but did not participate.[9] As a sophomore in 2020, he started four games and posted a 2–1 record with a 3.80 ERA over21+1⁄3 innings before the season was cut short due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[10]
TheArizona Diamondbacks selected Cecconi with the 33rd overall pick in the2020 Major League Baseball draft.[11] On July 10, 2020, Cecconi signed with the Diamondbacks for a $2.4 million bonus.[12] He did not play in a game in 2020 as the minor league season was canceled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[13]
To begin the 2021 season, Cecconi was assigned to theHillsboro Hops of theHigh-A West.[14] He was on theinjured list with a wrist injury to begin the year, but began play in mid-May.[15] On August 1, he was placed back on the injured list with an elbow injury, and, on August 5, was transferred to the 60-day injured list, effectively ending his season.[16] Over 12 starts for the year, Cecconi went 4–2 with a 4.12 ERA, striking out 63 and walking twenty over 59 innings.[17] He was selected to play in theArizona Fall League for theSalt River Rafters after the season.[18] He was assigned to theAmarillo Sod Poodles of theDouble-ATexas League for the 2022 season.[19] Over 25 starts, Cecconi posted a 7–6 record with a 4.37 ERA and 127 strikeouts over129+3⁄3 innings.[20]
To open the 2023 season, Cecconi was assigned to theReno Aces of theTriple-APacific Coast League.[21] In 20 starts for Reno, he pitched to a 4–8 record and 6.38 ERA with 104 strikeouts in 103 innings of work. On August 2, 2023, the Diamondbacks selected Cecconi to the40-man roster and promoted him to the major leagues for the first time.[22] In seven games (four starts) in his rookie campaign, he recorded a 4.33 ERA with 20 strikeouts across 27 innings.
Cecconi was optioned to Triple–A Reno to begin the 2024 season.[23] He made 20 appearances (13 starts) for the Diamondbacks, struggling to a 2–7 record and 6.66 ERA with 64 strikeouts across 77 innings pitched.[24]
On December 21, 2024, the Diamondbacks traded Cecconi and a competitive balance draft pick in the2025 MLB draft to theCleveland Guardians in exchange forJosh Naylor.[25]