Slade Cecconi (born June 24, 1999) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Early Life and Amateur Career
Cecconi attended Corona del Sol High School in Tempe, Arizona, where he was a standout baseball player. He was considered a top prospect but ultimately chose to attend college rather than sign professionally after the 2017 MLB draft.He enrolled at the University of Arizona, playing college baseball for the Arizona Wildcats. As a freshman in 2019, Cecconi made 17 starts, posting a 5-2 record with a 5.86 ERA, striking out 60 batters in 67.2 innings pitched. In his sophomore year, the 2020 season was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He made four starts, recording a 2-0 record with a 3.83 ERA, striking out 28 in 21.1 innings before the season's cancellation.
Professional Career
The Miami Marlins selected Cecconi in the first round, 34th overall, of the 2020 Major League Baseball draft. He signed with the Marlins organization for a reported $2.4 million bonus. Due to the cancellation of the minor league season in 2020, he did not make his professional debut until 2021.In 2021, Cecconi split the season between the Low-A Jupiter Hammerheads and the High-A Beloit Snappers. Across both levels, he compiled a combined 3-6 record with a 4.19 ERA over 19 starts, striking out 97 batters in 88 innings.
He began the 2022 season with the Double-A Pensacola Blue Wahoos and was later promoted to the Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. Between the two affiliates, he posted a 9-7 record with a 3.90 ERA in 27 starts, accumulating 137 strikeouts in 136 innings pitched.
Cecconi returned to Jacksonville to begin the 2023 season. On August 1, 2023, he was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time, making his MLB debut against the Philadelphia Phillies.
References
- [Major League Baseball official profile]
- [Baseball-Reference.com statistics]
- [University of Arizona Wildcats baseball archive]