RHP Eric Cerantola, 5th round (139th overall), Signed $500,000, Kansas City Royals
Hometown: Oakville, Ont.
Bats/Throws: R-R
Height/Weight: 6’ 2'“ 222 lbs.
Slot Money: $398,000
School: Mississippi State
Coach: Chris Lemonis.
Previous Teams: Canadian Junior National Team, Great Lake Canadians, Toronto Blue Jays Scout Team, Ontario Diamondbacks, Oakville A’s
Previous Coaches: Greg Hamilton, Brock Kjeldgaard, Tom Arnold, Shane Davis, Matt O’Brien, DJ Bernard, Tyler Moe, Richard Gamble.
Scout: Cody Clark, Adam Stern, Chris Reitsma.
Most influential people in his baseball life: Great Lake Canadians pitching coordinator Adam Arnold and Greg Hamilton.
Drafted: 30th round in 2018 by the Tampa Bay Rays.
Hockey: Drafted by OHL's Owen Sound Attack in the eighth round in 2016.
Twitter Handle: @Eric_Cerantola4
On other lists: 200th on Baseball America’s top 500 list (June 15, up 13 spots … 213th on Baseball America top 400 list (May 3) down 131 spots ... Perfect Game’s 7th best prospect in the state of Mississippi … Was 82nd on top 300 list (March 27), down 43 spots, was 39th on Baseball America’s top 200 ... 76th on Perfect Game’s top prospect list (Feb. 16), down 32 spots down from 23rd (Jan. 5) ... 146th on Prospects Live top 400 ... 20th on Perfect Games top 100 juniors ... 34th on Athlon’s top 50 college prospects.
What they are saying: “He went from being the Sunday starter to pitching in relief in mid-week games. I still think some guys who saw him a year ago or in fall ball will take a run at him.” _ AL scout.
Scouting Reports
Baseball America
201. Eric Cerantola
Last: 213
Mississippi State
Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 220 | B-T: R-R
Age At Draft: 21.2
Drafted: Rays ‘18 (30)
Fastball: 70 | Curve: 70 | Change: 45 | Control: 35
BA Grade: 45 | Risk: Extreme
Cerantola was a super-projectable arm out of high school in Canada and was actually a more advanced hockey player at the time—he was selected in the eighth round of the Ontario Hockey League draft in 2016. Scouts figured that he would grow into his 6-foot-5, 200-pound frame, improve on a fastball that touched 93 mph and further refine a big-time breaking ball that was already getting plus grades. Well, those scouts were right—in part. Cerantola has added strength to his frame and is now listed at 6-foot-5, 222 pounds, and his pure stuff is some of the best in the class. Area scouts this spring thought he had the best pure arm talent of anyone outside of Louisiana State righthander Jaden Hill and prep lefthander Maddux Bruns. Cerantola’s fastball now sits around 95 mph and he has touched 99-100. His curve ball has an argument as the best curve in the draft class, a low-80s power hammer with extremely hard and sharp downward biting action. The pitch gets plenty of 70-grade reports and he’s also gotten plus grades on a low-80s change up, though he has little feel to consistently land the pitch. In terms of pure stuff, Cerantola stacks up with anyone, but his control is well below-average, to the point that Mississippi State quickly moved him from the starting rotation to the bullpen and only had him throw 17.1 innings. He struck out 24 batters (12.5 K/9) but also walked 11 (5.7 BB/9) and allowed 11 earned runs, good for a 5.71 ERA. Cerantola is a solid athlete (as evidenced by his hockey background), but his mechanics are all over the place and his release point wanders significantly.
MLB Pipeline
248. Eric_Cerantola
AGE 21 DOB 05/02/2000
BATS R THROWS R
HT 6’ 5” WT 225
DRAFTED 2018, 30th (900) - Tampa Bay
Scouting Grades/Report
(20-80 grading scale)
FASTBALL 65 CURVE 60 CHANGEUP 50 CONTROL 40
OVERALL 40
An eighth-round pick in the 2016 Ontario Hockey League draft, Ceranatola was the top Canadian pitching prospect in the 2018 Draft but slid to the Rays in the 30th round because of signability and headed to Mississippi State. After pitching sparingly in his first two years with the Bulldogs, he created first-round buzz by showcasing perhaps better stuff than any college pitcher anywhere last fall. But he pitched himself out of Mississippi State’s rotation a month into the 2021 season and was used sporadically afterward.
During fall practice, Cerantola pushed his electric fastball to 98 mph and his curve ball up to 87 with an astounding 3300 rpm. He averaged 95 mph and hit 100 with his heater this spring, but he struggled to throw it for strikes and it got hit when he dialed it back to find the zone. His curve remained devastating if not quite as powerful.
Though Cerantola doesn’t use his third pitch much, he does show some feel for a low-80s change up with fade. But he can’t succeed in the rotation if he can’t dramatically improve his control and command, and the effort and stiffness in his delivery make it difficult to do so. He has frontline starter upside but comes with a lot of reliever risk and Mississippi State didn’t trust him in high-leverage situations.
Prospects Live
Eric Cerantola RHP Mississippi State
A college arm you can throw under the category of impacted by the shutdown. Cerantola possesses really, really good stuff in his three pitch mix. Sitting 92-96 mph on his fastball with a plus curveball and a changeup that flashes plus as well with impressive fade. His command has been an issue and he’s prone to center-cut fastballs too often, making him more hittable than he should be. The overall pitch mix is similar to Cole Wilcox of 2020, but frankly, it’s even better. Throwing good strikes will be very important in 2021, but should he do it consistently, he may be the third arm off the board.
2021 season as a junior: Was not on Mississippi State’s College World Series roster in Omaha … Instead, headed to the pre-draft combine in Cary, NC … Was 0-1 with a 5.71 ERA in 10 appearances, making four starts ... He walked 11 and fanned 24 in 17 1/3 innings ... In season opener facing Tulane he pitched 2 1/3 innings allowing three runs on four hits and three walks. He fanned three ... His second was his longest start of the season as he threw 75 pitches in three innings against Kent State. He walked four, allowed five hits while giving up for runs ... His best outing was against Eastern Michigan allowing one run on one hit as he fanned five ... Against LSU he didn’t allow a hit but gave up two runs on two walks, a hit batter and a wild pitch in 1 1/3 innings ... After that he was off to the bullpen and pitching on 16 days rest put up a zero -- striking out the side -- against Southern ... Next was a scoreless inning facing Ole Miss ... Another zero facing Alabama-Birmingham ... He allowed a run in one inning facing The Citadel ... Had a scoreless outing pitching 2/3 of an inning against Missouri ... And he had scoreless outing facing Florida.
2020 season as a sophomore: Was 1-1 with a 3.18 ERA walking 11 and fanning 22 in 17 innings ... Made four starts on the mound, each one in the series finales, allowing three-or-fewer earned runs in each ... Ranked No. 2 among qualifying pitchers in ERA ... Recorded his win against Wright State with four scoreless innings as he allowed two hits and three walks, while striking out a season-best eight batters ... Fanned six in five innings of work in a no decision against Oregon State, as he gave up two runs - one earned - on three hits and five free passes ... Allowed four runs - two earned - on eight hits in five innings of work at Long Beach State, walking two and fanning four in the loss ... Gave up three runs on four hits in three innings against Quinnipiac as he struck out four and walked one in the no decision.
2019 season as a freshman _ Was 3-0 with a 4.40 ERA in 11 games -- making four starts ... He walked 11 and struck out 20 in 14 1/3 innings ... Made debut in the series finale versus Youngstown State working an inning, striking out a pair, walking two and didn’t allow a hit. ... Mississippi State won all four of his starts ... Had a victories over Jackson State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Grambling ... Didn’t allow an earned run in eight of 11 appearances ... Made his first career start against Jackson State allowing two hits in three scoreless ... Pitched three scoreless in a start against Arkansas-Pine Bluff striking out four to earn the victory ... Facing Grambling he walked three and allowed one unearned run over two innings, while fanning four ... Recorded one out in a start against Mississippi Valley State as he walked one and hit three giving up three runs - two earned - and struck out one ... Threw a scoreless ninth facing Louisiana-Monroe with two strikeouts ... Allowed one run on two hits in 1/3 of an inning of relief work facing Louisiana Tech ... Threw one hitless, scoreless inning South Carolina walking one and striking out three ... Allowed one hit in two scoreless facing LSU in SEC Tourney ... Struck out the only batter he faced against Vanderbilt in College World Series.
2018 season: Dominican Summer League Trip with Junior National Team (JNT): One inning against DSL Cubs allowing one unearned run, experienced blister problems ... Extended Spring with Junior National Team (JNT): .Three scoreless against first- and second-year Astros pros, allowing one hit and three walks, while striking out a pair ... Spring with JNT: Three innings, one run allowed vs. Blue Jays first and second-year pros walking two and striking out a pair ... Allowed an unearned run in two hitless innings of work, walked five, hit a man and struck out one (Brandon Grudzielanek) ... Walked seven, struck out three in five innings.
2017 season: Selection camp with JNT vs. Australia: Nine walks, nine strikeouts, two walks, 10 whiffs in 7 2/3 innings, 1.17 ERA ... Dominican Summer trip with JNT: Gave up back-to-back singles, a fly ball and a double in a win over the Mariners ... Worked 7 2/3 innings walking seven and striking out eight in two games ... Spring with JNT: Pitched five innings, allowing three hits, six walks, while fanning seven, 2.16
Honours 2019 season _ Earned SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll … 2018 season _ Selected Perfect Game All-American honorable mention All-America … 2017 seasons: Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All American Honorable Mention Underclassmen All American Teams.
ALEXIS BRUDNICKI: Once A Hockey Prospect, Eric Cerantola Unlocks Upside On The Mound
STEVE ROBERTSON: Is Cerantola on the comeback?
DAN ZIELINSKI III: Cerantola hopes to take the next step