Don’t feel left out of the baseball loop if the name Slade Cecconi is unfamiliar. Cecconi is the right-handed pitcher the Guardians acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks on Dec. 21 for slugging first baseman Josh Naylor. The Guardians also acquired Arizona’s 2025 Competitive Balance Round B draft pick in the trade. The pick will be made between the second and third rounds of the draft next summer. Cecconi, 25, split time last season with Arizona’s Triple-A team in Reno and the Diamondbacks. He spent four stints with the Major League club and was 2-7 with a 6.66 ERA in 20 games. He made 13 starts. He allowed 16 home runs over 77 innings. He struck out 64 batters and walked 17. Related Articles MLB | Scandals, some changes in public perception highlighted the year for sports betting MLB | Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, baseball’s stolen base king, has died at 65 MLB | Guardians trade Josh Naylor to Diamondbacks for Slade Cecconi; Carlos Santana returning to Cleveland MLB | Captains named Baseball America’s 2024 Minor League Team of the Year MLB | Guardians fans love for Tom Hamilton shows why he is Hall of Fame bound | Jeff Schudel “Slade has a really good track record in the minor leagues,” Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said Dec. 22 on Zoom. “His calling card has been his ability to attack the strike zone. He has really low walk rates. He has a good four-pitch mix. His fastball usually is in the mid-90s. It’s been up to 98 or 99 out of the relief role. “We’re excited to bring a guy like that into our system and have him work with our pitching group. Hopefully he can come into spring training, compete for a job in the starting rotation and bullpen and contribute from Day One.” Naylor played in 152 games last season, homered 31 times, drove in 108 runs and scored 84 runs to help the Guardians finish 92-70, win the Central Division and advance to the ALCS. All were career highs for the 27-year-old Canadian. Naylor quickly signed a one-year, $14.2 million contract with the Diamondbacks. He made $6.5 million with the Guardians last season. To at least partially fill the void after parting with Naylor, the Guardians are expected to sign 39-year-old first baseman Carlos Santana to a one-year contract. Antonetti was not ready to announce signing Santana on the Dec. 22 Zoom call. The Guardians are also counting on Kyle Manzardo to play first base. Manzardo played in 53 games last year, predominantly as the designated hitter. He homered five times and drove in 15 runs. Jhonkensy Noel will also get work at first base in spring training, Antonetti said. So how is this a good trade for the Guardians? Earlier this month, they traded gold glove second baseman Andres Gimenez plus reliever Nick Sandlin to the Blue Jays for second baseman Spencer Horwitz and minor league outfielder Nick Mitchell. They immediately traded Horwitz to the Pirates for left-handed pitchers Josh Hartle and Michael Kennedy plus right-handed starter Luis Ortiz. Ortiz is the only player acquired in the Gimenez trade projected to be on the Guardians’ major-league roster in 2025. “Our goal is to try to repeat what we did last year, win the American League Central and try to continue to advance in the postseason and win that final game,” Antonetti said. “I would also reiterate while the acquisitions that we’ve made we think are important and will help us towards that, one of the most important things for us is the continued maturation and development and progression of the players that will continue to be here. “Guys that were here last year, that will continue to be key parts of our major-league team moving forward and we need to make sure that we’re helping that group continue to develop.” The Guardians re-signed pitcher Shane Bieber for 2025 and a player option for 2026 this offseason. Antonetti did not rule out signing other free agents (after Santana becomes official) but he said he doesn’t want to stall the progression of players in the team’s farm system.