Cecconi Picked 33rd in MLB Draft by Arizona

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami right-handed pitcher Slade Cecconi was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 33rd overall pick in 2020 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

Cecconi, who was selected with the fourth pick in Competitive Balance Round A, is the 29^th Hurricane to be taken in the first round of an MLB Draft. He is the first Miami pitcher taken in the first round since Chris Perez was selected with the 42^nd overall pick of the 2006 MLB Draft. He is the 296^th MLB Draft pick in Hurricanes history.

The 6-foot-4 right-hander started four games on the mound for the Hurricanes in the shortened 2020 college baseball season. Cecconi went 2-1 with a 3.80 ERA, striking out 30 batters while walking just seven over 21.1 innings pitched. Opponents hit a meager .180 against Cecconi in 2020.

A draft-eligible sophomore, Cecconi entered the 2020 season as a third team preseason All-American according to Baseball America. A Freshman All-American in 2019, Cecconi struck out 89 batters with 18 walks over 80 innings and posted a 5-4 record and 4.16 ERA in his debut season with the Hurricanes. He was named to the 2019 All-ACC Academic Team.

A two-year letterman at Miami, Cecconi was previously selected in the 38th round of the 2018 MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Baltimore Orioles. The Oviedo, Fla., native arrived at Miami as a ballyhooed prospect, rated the No. 39 overall 2018 draft prospect by Perfect Game and No. 62 by MLB Pipeline.

Cecconi’s collegiate development helped him rise up the rankings to No. 31 by MLB Pipeline in 2020. He was also ranked the No. 2 sophomore pitcher in 2020 by D1 Baseball and entered the year rated the No. 11 prospect in the ACC according to D1 Baseball.

Cecconi went 7-5 with a 4.09 ERA over 101.1 innings pitched in his two seasons at Miami. The 6-foot-4 right-hander made 21 appearances, including 17 starts, and struck out 199 batters while walking just 25.