The San Diego Padres drafted Cantillo in the 16th round,with the 468th overall selection,of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft and he signed for a $302,500 signing bonus.[6][7][8][9] After signing with the Padres,Cantillo made his professional debut with the Rookie-levelArizona League Padres;over eight innings,he compiled a 4.50 ERA. In 2018,he spent the majority of the year back in the Arizona League in which he went 2–2 with a 2.18 ERA over 11 games (nine starts),striking out 58 over 45+1⁄3 innings.[10][11] He also pitched in one game for the Fort Wayne TinCaps of the Single–AMidwest League at the end of the year. Cantillo returned to Fort Wayne to begin 2019.[12][13] During the season, he earned Midwest League Pitcher of the Week three times alongside earning Pitcher of the Month honors for June.[14][15][16][17][18] After pitching to a 9–3 record and a 1.98 ERA while striking out 128 batters over 98 innings (19 starts) with Fort Wayne, he was promoted to the Lake Elsinore Storm of the High–ACalifornia League in August.[19][20] With Lake Elsinore, Cantillo made three starts in which he compiled a 4.61 ERA before being shut down for the season due to reaching his innings limit.[21]
Cleveland Indians / Guardians
On July 31, 2020, the Padres traded Cantillo, Austin Hedges, Cal Quantrill, Josh Naylor, Gabriel Arias, and Owen Miller to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for Mike Clevinger, Greg Allen, and Matt Waldron.[22] He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[23] He began the 2021 season on the injured list with abdominal soreness.[24] He was activated in late August and joined the Akron RubberDucks of the Double-A Northeast.[25] He pitched eight innings for the year, going 0–2 and giving up four runs.[26] Cantillo returned to Akron for the 2022 season.[27] In early August, he was placed on the injured list with a shoulder injury and missed the remainder of the season.[28] Over 14 games (13 starts), he went 4–3 with a 1.93 ERA and 87 strikeouts over 60+2⁄3 innings.[29]
On November 15, 2022, the Guardians selected Cantillo's contract and added him to the 40-man roster, protecting him from the Rule 5 draft.[30] He returned to Akron to open the 2023 season.[31] Cantillo was promoted to the Guardians' Triple–A affiliate, the Columbus Clippers, on May 18, 2023. He was selected to represent the Guardians at the 2023 All-Star Futures Game.[32] In 26 games (24 starts) between Akron and Columbus, he posted a combined 7–4 record and 4.07 ERA with 146 strikeouts across 119+1⁄3 innings of work. Cantillo was optioned to Triple–A Columbus to begin the 2024 season.[33]
On July 28, 2024, Cantillo was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[34] He made his MLB debut that day at Citizens Bank Park as Cleveland's starting pitcher versus the Philadelphia Phillies, pitching 3+1⁄3 innings and giving up three earned runs and three walks while recording three strikeouts.[35] Over nine games (eight starts) for the Guardians in 2024, Cantillo went 2-4 with a 4.89 ERA and 44 strikeouts over 38+2⁄3 innings.[36]
Cantillo opened the 2025 season in Cleveland's bullpen and was optioned back to Columbus in May, with plans to return as a starter.[37] After starter Luis Ortiz placed on the non-disciplinary paid leave by MLB due to an ongoing investigation into gambling-related activities,[38] Cantillo was called up to the Guardians as a starting pitcher on July 3, 2025. He was optioned to Columbus for two-and-a-half weeks in August to continue developing as a starting pitcher, returning to Cleveland on September 3.[39] He finished the 2025 season with 5-3 record with a 3.21 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 34 games. Cantillo became the American League Rookie of the Month in September with a 1.55 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 29 innings across five starts.[40]
Personal life
Cantillo's father is a naval officer of Italian and Irish descent, and his mother is a nurse of Guyanese descent.[41]
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