The Baseball Tragedy of Matt Canterino

My guess is he's looking at surgery and missing another season. I'm sure the Twins will give his 40 man spots to someone else. Maybe next year they bring him back on a minor league deal and see if there's any chance of him throwing again. He would have to pass through waivers at this point right? Too bad. So much potential, just can't stay healthy. Not everyone is able to handle the rigors of pitching.

Because it happened in spring training while on the roster, won't he have to go on the 60-man and collect a major league salary all season, if the Twins truly wish to clear a roster spot?

Likely another year of rehab. He will be fine next February… for a week or so…. I will patiently wait for his health to stick around. 

I would never draft a Rice pitcher high.  I would never recommend a high school pitcher go to Rice.  The coaches there clearly care nothing about the future of their kids and have not problem burning them out over their 3 to 4 years.  Rice has been well known for this for years.  

The issue is Canterino offers such high upside if he could ever stay healthy, even as a possible pen arm.  He will continue to get chances as long as he wants to fight for them. One day he may actually stay healthy, but he will continue to bounce around because no one will want to put him on 40 man roster for long. 

This is a Twins prospect I just can't quit on.  We've seen how dominant Brock Stewart can be when he stays healthy.  Canterino could be something very similar, maybe even better.  But there comes a time in an organization just has to cut bait.  The Dodgers did it with Stewart and the Twins will have to give heavy consideration to Canterino as well.

I'm aligned with LambChop on this.  They may have to put him on waivers and then see if they can bring him back, basically pay him while he rehabs yet again.  But like I said, I just can't quit on this guy.  I'm still dreaming of him becoming a dominant bullpen piece even if it's just for 3-4 years at the most before he just simply can't overcome all the injuries. 

That's probably the absolute BEST outcome the Twins could hope for.  But every year new players are drafted and begin the process of moving up the ladder.  At some point, every players dream has to come to an end.  

"This is a Twin's prospect I just can't quit on." Nor should any of us...But sometimes for whatever reason a player ends up trapped by an organizational vicious cycle. It may wise both for the player and said organization to help break that cycle and make a move. Eberson Castellano has gained reputation within the Phillies organization as a pitcher with a great deal of talent who struggles to throw strikes. It remains to be seen if new landscape and coaching staff can alter that scenario. Trade Canterino for Castellano for the sake of all involved. 

On 3/12/2025 at 9:09 AM, Cody Christie said:

However, Rice has garnered a reputation for heavy pitcher workloads, raising concerns about potential overuse. This pattern isn't new to the Twins, with former Rice standout Tyler Duffey, who faced similar risks tied to the program's approach

On 3/13/2025 at 6:17 AM, Trov said:

I would never draft a Rice pitcher high.  I would never recommend a high school pitcher go to Rice.  The coaches there clearly care nothing about the future of their kids and have not problem burning them out over their 3 to 4 years.  Rice has been well known for this for years

In 2004 three Rice pitchers were drafted among the top 8 players. All three needed surgery by 2006. Humber and Townsend had Tommy John. Niemann had shoulder surgery. The New York Times wrote a story about the three in 2006 and they backed Rice and their coach.

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All three starters emphatically deny that they were overworked by Rice Coach Wayne Graham, who insists that they left the Rice campus healthy.

Even so it does seem reasonable that their workload led to their injuries. Those surgeries were in 2006. It gained attention because they were 3 of the top 8 picks in the 2004 draft. Duffey pitched for Rice 7 years after the 2004 trio. He threw 52 and 61 innings in his two years prior to being drafted. Canterino threw 96 and 94 innings in his two years at Rice. He did not lead his conference in innings pitched either year and threw what was typical for a college’s top starter in that conference. Canterino pitched for Rice thirteen years after Humber, Townsend and Niemann.

I don’t know if the workloads on the three contributed to their injuries. They claimed it didn’t at the time of their injuries. I don’t think a claim of higher injury risk as a result of pitching for Rice 7 or 13 years after the fact has any support. If you are going to make that claim it should come with support.

I did look for pitchers prior to the 2004 group. 1997 number 1 pick Matt Anderson went to Rice. He did suffer a major injury to his throwing arm in 2002. He suffered a rare teres major muscle tear (arm pit). His injury occurred on a day where he participated in a Tiger sponsored fan octopus throw where he tried to win Detroit Red Wing playoff tickets.

I don’t think there is any reason to recommend avoiding Rice University 21 years after the injured trio. I would recommend that pitchers avoid throwing an octopus as part of their pregame warm up.