Arizona Diamondbacks rookie right-hander Slade Cecchini, 24, made his major league debut a memorable one.
메이저놀이터Checheny made his major league debut as a starting pitcher against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California, on March 3. He pitched 4⅔ innings, allowing two runs on four hits with one walk and two strikeouts. The game ended in a 4-2 victory for San Francisco.
Drafted in the Balanced Competition Round of the 2020 First-Year Player Draft (33rd overall), Czechny is Arizona’s No. 9 prospect on MLB.com’s prospect rankings. His fastball lacks velocity, but he has good control and a highly regarded slider.
[Photo] Slade Cecchini of the Arizona Diamondbacks. ⓒGettyimages (All rights reserved)
Facing leadoff hitter Wade Ramonte Jr. in the bottom of the first inning, Chechnya threw a 94.8 mph (152.6 km/h) four-seam fastball to the body in a three-pitch, two-strike situation. The pitch appeared to hit Ramonte Jr. in the body and bounce away, and the umpire called it a ball hit in the body. Ramonte Jr. immediately gestured to go to first base.
However, Arizona disagreed with the call and requested a video review. The video review showed that Cheney’s ball had bounced off Ramonte Jr.’s bat. The call was overturned as a foul.
Coincidentally, the ball that hit Ramonte Jr.’s bat hit catcher Jose Herrera between the stomach and groin. Despite the pain, Herrera made a good catch. Because the catcher caught the foul ball, Ramonte Jr. was called out on a foul tip. Chesney was able to make the play and record his first major league strikeout.
[Photo] Slade Cecchini of the Arizona Diamondbacks. ⓒGettyimages (All rights reserved)
MLB.com wrote, “Pitchers always remember their first major league strikeout. But Chechnya got an even more unforgettable first strikeout.” MLB.com called Chechnya’s first strikeout “the strangest first strikeout of a major league debut.”
After getting Ramonte Jr. to ground out, Checchini gave up a single to Michael Conforto and struck out Wilmer Flores again. His second strikeout was a routine swinging strike on a six-pitch, 95.8-mph (154.2-kilometer) fastball in a one-pitch, two-strike situation. Read more: