Cleveland Guardians sign intriguing Italian relief pitcher who tosses 98 mph

Ettore Giulianelli.

If his name alone doesn't intrigue you, his arm certainly will.

On Tuesday, Jan. 6, the Cleveland Guardians front office signed Giulianelli to a minor league deal. The 22-year-old still has a lot to prove after spending time with two different professional teams, marching his way through a four-year stint with the St. Louis Cardinals and an independent league organization in Illinois.

His electric arm is expected to be utilized in the lower levels of the minor leagues, potentially at the Single-A or High-A level.

The Guardians, all offseason, have been busy trying to add more pitchers to the major league bullpen and minor league system as they attempt to bolster the arm play heading into 2026. They've signed guys that are at the tail end of their careers and ones that still need to get their first break, but no matter who it is or what characteristics they hold, Cleveland always seems to get something out of them.

And the expectation is that Giulianelli's time will be no different.

Free Agent Ettore Giulianelli making some noise on Friday with his last pen before we start getting into lives for the next few weeks before Pro Day ⚡

The engine is built, has gone from T93 to T98 this off season, now it's time to show he can do it in lives @TreadHQ pic.twitter.com/IY81kvQaFW
— Carsie Walker (@cwthrows) December 13, 2025

What does Giulianelli bring to the table?

Prior to joining the Guardians, the last contract he signed with a MLB side was the Cardinals.

He tossed with the organization from 2021 through 2024, playing in rookie ball and Single-A. In 68.2 innings pitched, he recorded a 4.46 ERA and a WHIP of 1.704. The main issue with his game was his inability to cutdown on walks, averaging an incredibly high 11.2 per nine innings. On the strikeout end, he was electric, though, with a mark of 14.0 per nine innings.

He's not an arm that's going to give up a lot of hits, but rather one that can't find the zone at times and walks a good chunk of batters he's facing. In 2024, he threw seven wild pitches and walked 31 batters in 25 innings.

However, while there are issues present that will take time to fix, Cleveland's front office obviously sees something special about him.

This past offseason, Giulianelli's fastball reportedly hit 98 miles per hour, demonstrating a clear jump in production with his speed. The only question will be if he can control it and place it in the zone more consistently.

In an interview with baseballjobsoverseas.com, he believes he offers three other pitches: a sinking fastball (90-92 mph), a screwball (75-76 mph), and a slider (83-84 mph). That, added on with his 98 mph fastball, makes him a pretty dynamic reliever that'll keep opposing batters on their toes.

This signing for the Guardians gives them an opportunity to stash a high-speed fastball deep in the minors with the hope that he can someday become a potential late-game finisher down the line. Yes, those are high expectations, but the coaching staff always seems to make something out of nothing.

Giulianelli's first chances to begin pitching with the organization will come in early April, more than likely with the Lynchburg Hillcats or Lake County Captains.