MLB · Biography
Cade Cavalli
Pitcher (RHP) · Washington Nationals · MLB · active · OU 2018-2020
Two-way Sooner who fought back from Tommy John to become the Nationals' ace
Cade Cavalli was born in Tulsa and starred at Bixby High School, where he missed most of his senior season with a back injury. The Atlanta Braves drafted him in the 29th round in 2017, but he chose Oklahoma instead.
At OU he was a genuine two-way player. As a freshman in 2018 he played in 58 games, made 53 starts and hit six home runs. In 2019 he was OU's Friday-night starter, going 5–3 with a 3.28 ERA, while also hitting .319 and earning first-team All-Big 12 honors as a utility player. That summer he pitched for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. He entered 2020 as the Big 12 Preseason Pitcher of the Year and struck out 37 in 23.2 innings before the season was cut short.
The Washington Nationals took him 22nd overall in 2020. In 2021 he led the minor leagues with 175 strikeouts, and he debuted in the majors on August 26, 2022. Tommy John surgery in 2023 and a string of setbacks kept him out of the majors for 1,076 days until his return on August 6, 2025.
In 2026 he was Washington's Opening Day starter and went 13–5 with a 3.02 ERA and 200 strikeouts. On September 18 he signed a four-year, $47 million extension through 2030, with a club option for 2031.