Arizona Diamondbacks 2024 Player Review: Slade Cecconi

The D-backs' converted reliever struggled through 2024.

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo (17) takes the ball away from pitcher Slade Cecconi (43) against the Texas Rangers in the fifth inning at Chase Field in Phoenix on Sept. 11, 2024. / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This article is part of a series chronicling the individual seasons of players that appeared for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2024.

Reviews for players that still have rookie eligibility for 2025 will appear in our prospect season reviews. Players are presented in the reverse order of their aWAR, an average of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs WAR.

RHP Slade Cecconi

2024 Contract Status: Pre-arb, $740,000, prorated to $377,910 for time spent on the MLB roster

Slade Cecconi 2024 and career stats / Alex D'Agostino | Diamondbacks On SI

The Diamondbacks' young right-handed starter had an inconsistent 2023 season. Coming into 2024, some improvement was expected, though the D-backs likely didn't expect to need his services as much as they did.

When veteran righty Merrill Kelly went down with a shoulder injury early in the year, Cecconi was recalled from Triple-A Reno on April 21. He made six starts, his first two being six-inning Quality Starts.

After that, he stumbled to a 6.12 ERA over his next four times out, giving up six runs in three of his May starts. He was optioned back to Triple-A on May 22, but was recalled just nine days later - this time due to Zac Gallen suffering a hamstring strain.

Cecconi continued his inconsistency through the month of June. He pitched to a 5.40 ERA over six starts, mixing a few solid starts (including a six-inning shutout in D.C.) around some poorer outings. After back-to-back poor starts to open July, he was sent back to Reno on July 11.

But this time, his assignment was different. The young righty displayed a significant split between the first time through the order and the second and third time through. In 2024, he posted a brilliant 1.67 ERA the first time through. Both the second and third time through, it spiked above 10.00.

With that in mind, the D-backs decided to try him out as a reliever.

In three Triple-A relief appearances, he allowed two runs over five innings. before being quickly recalled again. He made his first relief appearance with the D-backs in 2024 against the Nationals, going two scoreless, hitless innings, striking out three. His only baserunner came from a plunked batter.

But from there, the relief experiment deteriorated. Cecconi struggled with command and consistency. He put forward two poor outings against the Pirates and Phillies, and was optioned back to Triple-A again on August 9.

In the seven following appearances, he was effective, giving up zero earned runs in five of them, while mainly providing long relief in the hitter-friendly PCL.

He was recalled once again on September 1, and was blown up for five runs in just one inning of relief against the Los Angeles Dodgers the next day.

He made two more poor appearances, and was optioned for the final time on September 12. He finished his 2024 major league campaign with a 5.75 ERA as a starter, and a dismal 10.13 ERA as a reliever.

2025 Outlook

There's plenty of room for improvement. From a raw stuff perspective, Cecconi has a great deal of potential, and his fastball velocity has been known to hit the 97-98 MPH range. Whether or not he finds his footing as a reliever, or goes back to starting remains to be seen.

He's certainly a name to watch in the D-backs' farm system, though he's no longr considered a prospect. Cecconi likely won't be a member of the D-backs' rotation in 2025, and probably won't see bullpen action in the majors barring another slew of injuries, or notable improvement in Cecconi's game.

He's valuable from a potential standpoint, and could factor into Arizona's major league club at some point, but likely not in the immediate future unless it's out of necessity.