Rank History
| Year | Team | Position | Team Rank | OFP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ARI | RHP | 7 | 50 |
Grades Update: Dec 2020
| OFP | Role | FB | CB | SL | CH | Cnt/Cmd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 50 | 60 | 50 | 60 | 50 | 50/45 |
Dec 2020 Report
Evaluator: Tyler Jennings
Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-4
Weight: 224 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2020 CBA Round 1
RuleV: 2024
Physical Description: Strong, durable frame at 6'4", 224 pounds that scouts adore. High waist, broad shoulders. Some projection left to his body. Highly touted out of high school, injury led him to campus in Miami. One of the top draft-eligible sophomores from the 2020 draft with big upside.
Delivery & Mechanics: Works from wind-up and stretch. Wind-up is a turn-and-fire delivery with a moderate leg kick and works downhill. From the stretch, there is a slight leg kick before he fires towards home plate. Low-effort delivery. Pitches from the first base side of the rubber with a three-quarters arm slot. Creates subtle deception and gets elite extension with his delivery.
Fastball: Fastball sat 91-96 MPH and topped 98 MPH during his time in Miami with spin rates that have surpassed 2,500 RPM's and has good running life to the pitch. The main concern has been sustaining velocity, which he struggled with at Miami. Once the velocity dipped into the low-90's, he often left the fastball high, leading to not so desirable outcomes. At camp in Arizona, he's reportedly been in the 94-98 MPH range, giving an indication that he has worked on improving sustainability during quarantine. Grade: 60
Curveball: Much like the change-up, he has a good feel for the pitch, but command of the pitch needs work. Does not throw it often, but it's a mid-to-high 70's offering with some bite and spin rates in the 2,400 RPM range. He hangs the pitch at times, leading to loud contact. Primary focus in Arizona has been to throw the pitch harder. Likely to be an average offering with room for improvement. Grade: 50
Slider: The best off-speed offering that Cecconi possesses. Mid-80's offering that has been his primary out-pitch. At its best, it will sit in the upper-80's with tight spin and firm shape, generating whiffs from lefties and righties. Looks like a cutter. Spin rates are within the 2,400-2,500 RPM range. The pitch has a tendency to become flat as he loses velocity throughout starts, much like the fastball. Likely to be a plus offering as he progresses. Grade: 60
Changeup: Good feel for the pitch, sits mid-80's with good fade and some consistent depth to it. Usually a weapon against lefties. Command hurts this offering, as Cecconi tends to let it run outside or leave it in the bottom of the zone too long. Has worked on firming up the pitch and commanding it better with Arizona. Average with a chance to get better. Grade: 50
Control and Command: Cecconi throws strikes well, as he walked only 25 batters across 101.1 innings with Miami. However, the command will need refinement as he moves forward. He does get too much of the strike zone at times, which has caused the so-so results he has posted. He has worked on commanding the fastball high in the zone, plus keeping off-speed low in camp. Control: 50 | Command: 45
Overall: The chances of Cecconi starting will rely solely on his ability to sustain velocity throughout starts. So far, he has had rave reviews out of camp and instructs, with some saying he could be a future frontline starter. For now, he's got the ceiling of a #4 starter and the floor of a high leverage reliever with a potent fastball/slider combination. Improved command could vault him higher, though.
OFP: 50
Role: 50 - #4-5 Backend Starter
Risk: High
