Miami Hurricanes pitcher Slade Cecconi taken with 33rd pick by Diamondbacks in MLB Draft

It took almost until the end of the night, but Miami Hurricanes right-hander Slade Cecconi finally heard his name called as the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft opened on Wednesday.

Out of 37 picks on Wednesday, Cecconi went 33rd to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

MLB Network’s Jonathan Mayo said Cecconi has tremendous upside because of some of the highest spin rates on his pitches in the nation.

“There is some reliever risk because he hasn’t always maintained his velocity,” said Mayo, hinting that scouts feel Cecconi could end up in the bullpen in the long run. “But he has good stuff — a plus fastball with an above-average slider.

“If he [develops], he has a chance to be a mid-rotation or higher [major-league pitcher]. At worst, he can be really nasty in a short-relief role.”

Cecconi, a 6-4, 220-pound sophomore, went 2-1 with a 3.80 ERA this year, holding batters to a .190 average with 30 strikeouts and seven walks in 21.1 innings. He is the first Hurricanes first-round pick since the Chicago White Sox drafted catcher Zack Collins with the 10th selection in 2016.

The slot bonus for Cecconi’s selection is $2.2 million, and he is expected to sign, ending his Hurricanes career.

However, while Wednesday brought good news for Cecconi, fellow Canes right-hander Chris McMahon was not among the 37 selections made on the night.

McMahon, a 6-2, 215-pound junior ranked the draft’s 30th-best prospect by Baseball America, was dominant for Miami this past season, going 3-0 with a 1.05 ERA in four starts.

His fastball has been clocked at 92-94 mph and has touched 97. In 25.2 innings, McMahon struck out 38, walked five and allowed batters to hit just .207.

The draft will conclude on Thursday with the final four rounds, and McMahon is expected to go quickly.

Meanwhile, the Florida Gators got bad news on Wednesday when their top recruit, outfielder Zac Veen, was selected by the Colorado Rockies with the ninth pick.

The bonus money slotted for that pick is $4.9 million, making it a virtual certainty that Veen will never play for the Gators.

Veen, listed at 6-4 and 195 pounds, is a lefty hitter who projects as a right fielder with a power bat and a strong arm.

On MLB Network, Harold Reynolds said Veen should be “dancing” with joy because he’s going to an organization with a famed hitters’ park, Coors Field.

But Mayo said Veen is so good that it really doesn’t matter.

“Coors Field or Yellowstone Park, Veen’s going to hit anywhere,” Mayo said. “He’s tall and knows how to leverage the baseball. He probably ends up a very athletic right fielder. He’s kind of like Christian Yelich at this stage — tall, gangly high schooler who will grow into his power.”

Veen seemed to indicate that he wasn’t going to pass on Colorado’s offer.

“I know they do a great job developing hitters, and the ball flies [at Coors]. Hopefully, I can be [in the majors] in a couple of years.”

Beyond McMahon, there are a lot of other players with Dade/Broward ties who are expected to get selected Thursday.

The list includes Westminster Christian right-hander Victor Mederos, who is a Hurricanes recruit and has been compared to former Marlins star Jose Fernandez, and American Heritage center fielder Enrique Bradfield, who signed with Vanderbilt and is considered the fastest player in the draft.

Here are some other Dade/Broward players who are expected to get drafted on Thursday:

▪ FIU lefty Logan Allen wins with guts, deception, command and a plus changeup. His fastball velocity is average (usually 90-91 mph but as high as 94).

▪ Alejandro Rosario, a Miami Christian right-hander and a Hurricanes recruit, is an exciting prospect because his fastball hits 97-98 mph.

▪ Canes shortstop Freddy Zamora missed the 2020 season due to a knee injury. Prior to that, he was seen as a possible first-rounder and one of the two best defensive shortstops in the nation.

▪ Yohandy Morales, Braddock’s shortstop and a Hurricanes recruit, has plus power and a strong arm in a big frame (6-4, 195). He could end up a third base.

▪ Coby Mayo, Douglas’ third baseman and a Florida Gators recruit, is a 6-5, 215-pounder with plus power and one of the strongest arms among all infielders in the draft.

▪ Timmy Manning, a Cardinal Gibbons left-hander and a Gators recruit, has one of the best breaking pitches in the draft.

▪ Carlos Perez, a Florida Christian catcher and a switch-hitting Hurricanes recruit, is known for his excellent defense — throwing, blocking and receiving.

▪ Sammy Infante, a Monsignor Pace shortstop and a Hurricanes recruit, could opt to go to college and be eligible for the draft again after his sophomore season in 2022.

▪ Canes first baseman Alex Toral showed big-time power last year with 24 homers. This year, he demonstrated improved plate discipline with more walks (13) than strikeouts (nine) while slugging five homers in 16 games (1028 OPS).