Eric Cerantola

Eric Cerantola, a 26-year-old right-handed reliever from Montreal, Canada, was recalled by the Kansas City Royals from Triple-A Omaha on May 6, 2026, to make his MLB debut. The 5'5" pitcher was drafted by the Royals in the 5th round of the 2021 draft. At Triple-A Omaha in 2026, Cerantola posted a dominant 1.42 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 12.2 innings (33.3% K-rate), a 1.31 WHIP, and converted all 5 save opportunities. He made his MLB debut on May 6 against Cleveland, pitching a scoreless 9th inning with 2 strikeouts and 1 hit allowed. However, he was optioned back to Triple-A on May 8 after appearing in 2 games, allowing 3 runs on 2 hits with 4 walks and 5 strikeouts over 3 innings. His primary weapon is a plus-plus slider with a 59.2% whiff rate, complemented by a mid-90s fastball and low-90s cutter.