On Saturday evening, the Cleveland Guardians traded first baseman Josh Naylor to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for pitcher Slade Cecconi and a high draft pick.
Cecconi isn’t the perfect pitching prospect, but he is much better and interesting than his 2024 numbers indicate.
In 20 games (13 starts) with the Snakes, Cecconi posted a 6.66 ERA covering 77 innings.
Those stats might scare away more than one team, but not the Guardians.
They know that if a pitcher has some specific tools to work with, he can certainly improve and help any staff.
Cecconi has specific traits that interested the Guardians, as @jeffmlbdraft wrote.
“Slade Cecconi with his control and extension numbers is very much a Guardians type of guy and in general the type of guy they have done very well with. These types of arms they typically hit on and help develop,” he posted on X.
Slade Cecconi with his control and extension numbers is very much a guardians type of guy and in general the type of guy they have done very well with. These types of arms they typically hit on and help develop
— Jeffmlbdraft (@jeffMLBdraft) December 21, 2024
Cecconi had a 2.68 BB/9 mark in Triple-A this year, and an even better 1.99 in the majors.
BB/9 means walks per nine innings, and Cecconi rates extremely well in that category.
Walks aren’t the problem, but he was very homer-prone in his MLB time this year (1.87 HR/9) and that’s more of a stuff or command issue.
In any case, given his quality stuff, the Guardians believe they can work with that and get him to realize his considerable potential.
They do, as a team, like guys with good extension.
Cecconi was the 33th pick in the 2020 MLB draft, is only 25 years old and has five years of cheap control remaining.
Don’t be surprised if the Guardians make him a good backend starter or a multi-inning relief ace.
NEXT: New Guardians 1B Compared Favorably To Departing Slugger In 2024
