Diamondbacks’ Slade Cecconi credits mound move with success

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Slade Cecconi might have figured it out.

At least, that’s what he tells Burns & Gambo on Arizona Sports.

“One of the big things that kind of sparked all this was moving back over to the left side of the mound,” Cecconi said on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old right-hander was called up to the majors on Aug. 2 and made his debut that night against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. He pitched 4.2 innings, giving up two earned on four hits while striking out two and walking one. It should be noted he had one of the more interesting first strikeouts in baseball history.

Slade Cecconi will never forget his 1st career K. 😂 pic.twitter.com/uFB5pYABW9

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 3, 2023

Since then, he’s had four outings where he hasn’t allowed more than two earned, but has yet to earn his first big league win.

While speaking to the rookie, co-host John Gambadoro admitted there was some trepidation when Cecconi was first called up. While in 20 starts with Triple-A Reno, Cecconi had posted a 4-8 record with a 6.38 ERA, nearly two runs higher per outing than he did in 2022 with Double-A Amarillo.

He told Burns & Gambo that he moved from the third-base side of the mound to the first-base side of the mound during a road game against the Tulsa Drillers in Double-A in 2022.

“I started to drive instead of coming across my body,” Cecconi said. “I started to get my mechanics back. I got more command from the from the strike zone and things have taken off from there.”

Since arriving in the majors, Cecconi has a 2.57 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP in 21 innings of work.

“The numbers look really good, but I’ve just been sticking to what I’ve been doing well,” he said. “That’s commanding the strike zone with three and, you know, developing that fourth pitch.

“I’ve just been doing things within a process everyday and letting that lead to success rather than trying to go outside my body and do things that I don’t necessarily do.”