SLADE DEVIN CECCONI...Attended the University of Miami from 2019-20…Originally selected by the Orioles in the 38th round of the 2018 First-Year Player draft out of Trinity Prep School (Fla.)and Seminole County Summer League, but did not sign…Participated in the 2023 D-backs Celebrity Golf Classic at Talking Stick Golf Club...Over his two abbreviated seasons at "The U" he was 7-5 with a 4.09 ERA in 21 games/7GS (101.1IP, 94H, 46ER, 119SO)...Was active in the community in his first season in Cleveland, spending 10 hours connecting with fans at Youth Summer Camps, Faith Day, and Guards by Nature.
2025
After being acquired along with a Competitive Balance Round B draft pick from Arizona by Cleveland in exchange for Josh Naylor in the offseason, Cecconi became a mainstay in the Guardians rotation, posting a career-high in starts (23), innings pitched (132IP) and strikeouts (109)...Led the Guardians in starts and innings after making his season debut on May 17 at Cincinnati (Bibee second, 131.1/22)...Started the season on the 15-day Injured List with a left oblique strain, suffered in ST on March 7…After Ben Lively was ruled out for the season due to right UCL reconstruction, Cecconi replaced his vacancy in the rotation on May 17 at Cincinnati, striking out eight batters with 0 walks over five innings in his Cleveland/season debut...Began to find his rhythm in June, firing seven shutout innings on June 22 at the Athletics and would go on to record quality starts in five of his next seven outings, while working six-or-more innings in six of those starts...From July 4-end of the season, the righty worked 90.0 innings in 15 starts, T-sixth-most frames in MLB during that stretch...Averaged 5.74 innings per start in 2025, a 1.05-point jump from his 4.69 innings per start while he was with Arizona in 2024…Totaled 11 quality starts in 2025...Carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning vs. KC on Sept. 8, becoming the second Guardians pitcher to have a no-hit bid of seven-or-more IP in 2025, following Gavin Williams on Aug. 6 at New York-NL (8.1IP)...Marked the first time that a pair of Guards hurlers recorded no-hit bids of seven-or-more innings in the same year since 2021 (McKenzie/Plesac)...Start was followed by eight shutout innings from Joey Cantillo the next night, marking the first time that two Guardians have thrown 8+ scoreless IP in back-to-back outings since Zach Plesac and Shane Bieber turned the trick on 7/29-30/20...Held opposing left-handed hitters to a .181 (29-for-160) in his 14 starts from July 9 to the end of the season, the sixth-lowest mark among AL pitchers during that stretch (min. 125 LHH faced)...Overall, permitted a .221 (56-for-253) to LH hitters, compared to a .273 (69-for-253) mark against RHH...Posted a 5.9% walk rate, placing him in the 85th percentile of MLB pitchers…Issued 14 walks in his 13 starts after the All-Star break, T7th-fewest in the AL during that stretch (min. 10 GS)...Was 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA over last seven starts, Aug. 22-end of season (18ER/42IP)...Received the starting nod in AL Wild Card Series Game 3, allowing one run (earned) over 2.1 innings of work…Marked his third career Postseason appearance and first career start following 2023 NLCS relief outings with Arizona.
2024
Went 2-7 with a 6.66 ERA (57 ER in 77.0 IP) and 64 strikeouts in 20 games (13 starts) over four stints in his second season with the D-backs...Entered the season rated as the D-backs' No. 17 prospect by MLB Pipeline...Recalled from Triple-A Reno on April 21 and earned his first Major League win that night at San Francisco with his first career quality start (2 ER in 6.0 IP)...His 33 pitches through 4.0 innings that night were the fewest by any pitcher in the Majors in 2024 and the second fewest through 4.0 IP in D-backs history, behind Curt Schilling, who had 26 on Aug. 21, 2002 [source: STATS LLC]…Owns a career ERA of 4.30 in 14 away outings (10GS, 60.2IP, 58H, 29ER, 46SO) compared to a two-year Chase Field ERA of 8.52 (13G/7GS, 43.1IP, 61H, 41ER)…Set a career-high with eight strikeouts on April 27 at Seattle...Made seven appearances in relief, going 0-2 with a 10.13 ERA (18 ER in 16.0 IP)…Posted a 5.75 ERA in 13 starts (39ER/61.0IP)…In 18 games (five starts) with Triple-A Reno, went 4-2 with a 3.06 ERA...Concluded year by tossing 9.2 hitless innings (0 runs/6 games) to end the Triple-A season...Posted a 10.73 ERA in nine games/five starts in Chase Field (27.2IP, 45H, 33ER, 7HR) and a 4.38 ERA in 11 away games (8GS, 49.1IP, 47H, 24ER).
2023
In seven games (four starts) over two stints with the D-backs in his first Major League season, went 0-1 with a 4.33 ERA (13 ER in 27.0 IP)...Made his Major League debut on Aug. 2 @ Giants (two ER in 4.2 IP) …was the second D-backs starting pitcher to make their MLB debut @ Giants (last: Alex Young on June 27, 2019)...Appeared in three games in relief and went 0-0 with a 1.93 ERA (two ER in 9.2 IP), 0.75 WHIP and .206 opponent avg…walked just four of his 111 batters faced...Ranked among Pacific Coast League leaders at the time of his selection in innings pitched (second, 103.0), strikeouts (second, 104), games started (T-third, 20), WHIP (third, 1.38), opponent average (seventh, .274) and ERA (eighth, 6.38)...Optioned to Triple-A Reno on Sept. 4…went 1-1 with a 4.05 ERA (six ER in 13.1 IP) in his final three starts with the Aces...Recalled by Arizona on Sept. 22 and made one relief appearance @ Yankees (one ER in 2.2 IP, two K)...Optioned to Triple-A Reno on Sept. 25. Went 5-9 with a 6.11 ERA (79 ER in 116.1 IP) and 118 strikeouts in 23 starts with the Aces...Recorded his first Major League strikeout after video review overturned the original ruling (hit-by-pitch)…the review revealed that the pitch tipped off the knob of leadoff batter Lamont Wade Jr.'s bat and was then trapped by catcher, Jose Herrera, in his inner thigh area...POSTSEASON: Was on the National League Championship Series roster...tossed a scoreless inning in Game 2 in Philadelphia and a scoreless inning in Game 5 at home.
2022
Made 26 appearances (25 starts) with Double-A Amarillo, going 7-6 with a 4.37 ERA (63 ER in 129.2 IP)…ranked among Texas League leaders in ERA (third), innings (fourth), WHIP (fifth, 1.32), opponent avg. (fifth, .266), starts (T-5th) and strikeouts (seventh, 127)... Ranked as the D-backs' No. 12 prospect by Baseball America.
