Matt Canterino
{{Short description|American baseball player (born 1997)}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Matt Canterino
|image =
|caption =
|team = Minnesota Twins
|number =
|position = Pitcher
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|12|14}}
|birth_place = Southlake, Texas, U.S.
|bats = Left
|throws = Right
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate =
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|statleague = MLB
|statyear =
|stat1label = Win–loss record
|stat1value =
|stat2label = Earned run average
|stat2value =
|stat3label = Strikeouts
|stat3value =
|teams =
|awards =
}}
Matthew James Canterino (born December 14, 1997) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Minnesota Twins organization.
Amateur career
Canterino grew up in Southlake, Texas and attended Carroll Senior High School. He was named the District 7-6A Pitcher of the Year as a senior after posting 7–1 record with 57 strikeouts and an 0.64 ERA.{{Cite web|url=https://www.southlakestyle.com/api/content/58f92693-da52-587c-afea-6256dc0c644e/|title=Canterino Named Co-pitcher of the Year, Other Dragons Honored|date=July 23, 2016|website=Southlake Style — Southlake's Premiere Lifestyle Resource}}
Canterino played college baseball for the Rice Owls, where he was a starting pitcher for three seasons. He was named first team All-Conference USA after going 7–5 with 3.06 ERA and 116 strikeouts against 22 walks in 94 innings.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com/north/story/minnesota-twins-2019-mlb-draft-pick-capsules-keoni-cavaco-matt-wallner-matt-canterino-060519|title=Minnesota Twins 2019 MLB draft pick capsules|website=Fox Sports North|date=June 5, 2019}} As a junior, he went 6–5 with a 2.81 ERA and 121 strikeouts in {{fraction|99|1|3}} innings pitched and was named the Conference USA Pitcher of the Year in addition to repeating as a first team all-conference selection.{{cite news|url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rice/article/Rice-Matt-Canterino-C-USA-Pitcher-of-Year-13867506.php|title=Rice's Matt Canterino named C-USA Pitcher of the Year|work=Houston Chronicle|date=May 21, 2019 |last1=Hill |first1=Glynn A. }}{{cite news|url=https://theathletic.co.uk/1839156/2020/06/10/twins-derek-falvey-thad-levine-drafts-what-can-we-learn/|title=What can we learn from the three drafts of the Derek Falvey-Thad Levine reign?|first=Aaron|last=Gleeman|work=The New York Times |date=June 10, 2020}} In 2018, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League, and was named a league all-star.{{cite web|author= |url=http://pointstreak.com/baseball/player.html?playerid=1210406&seasonid=31242 |title=Matthew Canterino – Profile |publisher=pointstreak.com |date= |accessdate=June 16, 2021}}
Professional career
Canterino was drafted in the 2nd round, with the 54th overall selection, of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft by the Minnesota Twins.{{cite web|url=https://www.chron.com/sports/rice/article/Twins-take-Rice-pitcher-Matt-Canterino-in-2019-13928763.php|title=Twins take Rice pitcher Matt Canterino in 2019 MLB Draft|work=Houston Chronicle|date=June 3, 2019}} After signing with the team, he was initially assigned to the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Twins before being promoted to the Single-A Cedar Rapids Kernels of the Midwest League.{{cite web|url=https://www.startribune.com/top-ten-minnesota-twins-minor-league-prospects-give-fans-reason-to-smile/569014752/|title=Twins' farm talent provides a reason to smile|work=Star Tribune|date=March 23, 2020}} He did not play in a game in 2020 due to cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2020/06/30/minor-league-baseball-season-canceled-2020-coronavirus|title = 2020 Minor League Baseball Season Canceled| date=June 30, 2020 }} He pitched only 23 innings in 2021 for Cedar Rapids and the High-A Fort Myers Mighty Mussels due to injury.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/twins-matt-canterino-back-on-injured-list/|title=Twins' Matt Canterino: Back on injured list|website=CBSSports.com|date=August 21, 2021 }}
Canterino was assigned to the Double-A Wichita Wind Surge to begin the 2022 season. In {{fraction|34|1|3}} innings pitched, he posted a 1.83 ERA and 1.14 WHIP with 50 strikeouts and 22 walks. On August 10, 2022, it was announced that Canterino would need Tommy John surgery, causing him to miss the remainder of the 2022 season and likely all of the 2023 season.{{Cite web|title=Twins' Matt Canterino: Needs Tommy John surgery|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/twins-matt-canterino-needs-tommy-john-surgery/|access-date=2023-02-19|website=cbssports.com|date=August 10, 2022 |language=en}} On November 15, the Twins added Canterino to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.{{Cite web|title=Twins Select Four Players|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/11/twins-select-four-players.html|access-date=December 29, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}}
Canterino was optioned to Double-A Wichita to begin the 2023 season.{{Cite web|title=Twins' Matt Canterino: Optioned to Double-A|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/twins-matt-canterino-optioned-to-double-a/|access-date=2023-03-12|website=cbssports.com|date=March 11, 2023 |language=en}} However, he did not appear in a game as he continued his recovery from surgery. Canterino was optioned to the Triple–A St. Paul Saints to begin the 2024 season.{{Cite web|title=Twins' Matt Canterino: Sent packing to Triple-A|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/twins-matt-canterino-sent-packing-to-triple-a/amp/|access-date=March 15, 2024|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} He missed the entirety of the season due to a rotator cuff strain that he suffered in spring training. Canterino was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul to begin the 2025 season.{{Cite web|title=Twins make first cuts of camp, fall to Orioles in spring training action. Saturday|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/twins/minnesota-twins-news/twins-make-first-cuts-of-camp-fall-to-orioles-in-spring-training-action-sunday-01jnya7e2mjd|access-date=March 12, 2025|website=si.com|language=en}} However, on March 16, 2025, it was announced that Canterino would undergo season-ending surgery to "tighten" ligaments in his throwing shoulder.{{Cite web|title=Twins Prospect Matt Canterino Undergoes Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/03/twins-prospect-matt-canterino-undergoes-season-ending-shoulder-surgery.html|access-date=March 16, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} On April 18, Canterino was designated for assignment by Minnesota.{{Cite web|title=Twins Designate Matt Canterino For Assignment|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/04/twins-designate-matt-canterino-for-assignment.html|access-date=April 18, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} He was released by the Twins on April 22.{{Cite web|title=Twins Release Matt Canterino|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/04/twins-release-matt-canterino.html|access-date=April 22, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} On April 28, Canterino re-signed with the Twins organization on a two-year minor league contract.{{Cite web|title=Twins Sign Matt Canterino To Two-Year Minor League Deal|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/04/twins-sign-matt-canterino-to-two-year-minor-league-deal.html|access-date=April 28, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}}
References
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External links
- [https://riceowls.com/sports/baseball/roster/matt-canterino/87 Rice Owls bio]
{{baseballstats|mlb=|espn=|br=|fangraphs=|brm=canter000mat}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Canterino, Matt}}
Category:21st-century American sportsmen
Category:Baseball players from Texas
Category:Cedar Rapids Kernels players
Category:Falmouth Commodores players
Category:Florida Complex League Twins players
Category:Fort Myers Mighty Mussels players
Category:Gulf Coast Twins players
Category:Minor league baseball players