Guardians & Diamondbacks complete trade

December 21st, 2024

CLEVELAND, OH - The Cleveland Guardians announced today the following transaction relative to the 2025 Major League roster:

Traded 1B Josh Naylor to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for RHP Slade Cecconi and Arizona’s 2025 Competitive Balance Round B Draft Pick.

Cecconi, 25, split the 2024 season between Triple-A Reno and Arizona, posting a 4-2 mark with a 3.06 ERA in 18 games/5 starts at AAA Reno (47.0IP, 34H, 16ER, 14BB, 54SO), tossing 9.2 hitless innings (0 runs/6 games) to end the season. He spent four stints with the Major League club beginning in April, posting a season-long record of 2-7 with a 6.66 ERA in 20 games/13 starts (77.0IP, 92H, 57ER, 17BB, 64SO). The 6-4, 220-lb right-hander was Arizona’s Competitive Balance Round A selection (33rd overall) in the 2020 MLB Draft out of the University of Miami, first debuting with the Diamondbacks at the ML level in August of 2023. During the 2023 campaign, the Oviedo, FL native recorded a 4.33 ERA in 7 games/4 starts with Arizona (13ER/27.0IP) and was a member of their 2023 NLCS roster. He entered the 2024 campaign as the 17th-best prospects in the D-Backs system (MLB Pipeline).

With the addition of the 2025 Competitive Balance Round B Draft Pick, the Guardians now own the first pick (CLE) and third pick (AZ) of the CB Round B Round (draft order has yet to be finalized).