Since the All-Star break while starting for Triple-A Salt Lake and Double-A Rocket City, lefty pitcher Samuel Aldegheri has recorded impressive numbers: 5-2, 2.43 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 44 K and 15 BB in 55.2 innings pitched. The 24-year-old Verona, Italy native will start for the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday, September 23, 2025 when the Halos host the Kansas City Royals. If all goes well, he will likely return as the starter in the final game of the season against the Houston Astros on Sunday, September 28th.
Team Italy manager Francisco Cervelli is no stranger to Italian baseball as he represented the Azzurri during the 2009 and 2017 World Baseball Classics. “It is a great honor for me to be appointed the manager of the Italian National Baseball Team. Since 2017, when I played my last World Baseball Classic, I have carried a mission in my heart: to help elevate Italy as a reference point for elite baseball in Europe. With humility and gratitude, I want to thank Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball for giving me this incredible opportunity. Representing Italy is not just a responsibility but a dream come true. Wearing this iconic uniform again fills me with pride, and I am ready to work tirelessly to lead this team and inspire future generations of Italian players.”
Miles Mastrobuoni and Brett Sullivan at the 2023 World Baseball Classic
Before introducing the Italian players that are likely to compete for the Azzurri, let’s review How Team Italy can reach the 2025 European Baseball Championship finals. Although the Italians are considered outsiders, Team Italy would like nothing more than to win the Euro Baseball throne in Rotterdam, where the squad last won the championship title in 2012.
Mattia Aldegheri(Pitcher)
Older brother to Los Angeles Angels pitcher Samuel Aldegheri. Mattia Aldegheri has been a consistent starter for Team Italy internationally. During Haarlem Baseball Week on July 16, 2024 against Japan, the right-handed hurler pitched five innings and held the eventual champion of the tourney to three runs on five hits with two strikeouts and two walks. He threw a scoreless inning with two strikeouts against the Team Italy U23 squad on July 16, 2025 and started against the Baseball Globetrotters during Italian Baseball Week 2025 on September 12th (4 IP, H, 2 ER, 5 K, 4 BB).
Maurizio Andretta(Pitcher)
Maurizio Andretta appeared in two contests at Haarlem Baseball Week 2022. After pitching a hitless inning with one strikeout against host Kingdom of the Netherlands on July 8th, he took the loss against undefeated Japan on July 12th (1.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R, K, BB). He was the stopper out the Azzurri bullpen at Haarlem Baseball Week 2024 when he kept opponents off the board in his two appearances. Against silver medal winner USA on July 14th, the right-handed pitcher threw 1.1 innings of relief and surrendered one hit. He also provided long relief in his four scoreless innings against Chinese Taipei on July 17th when giving up just four hits with one strikeout and two walks. At the 2023 European Baseball Championship, Maurizio Andretta kept Sweden off the board on September 25th (2.1 IP, 6 K, BB) and did it again when picking up the win against Switzerland on September 29th (2.2 IP, 5 K, BB). He pitched two innings of relief against the Baseball Globetrotters during Italian Baseball Week 2025 on September 12th and gave up just one hit with three strikeouts.
Marco Artitzu(Pitcher)
Up-and-coming pitcher Marco Artitzu blanked the Kingdom of the Netherlands at Haarlem Baseball Week 2024 on July 13th (2 IP, 1 H, 1 K), but was ambushed by Japan three days later (2.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 2 BB). He most recently made three appearances against Germany and the Kingdom of the Netherlands at the 2025 U23 European Baseball Championship (0-1, 4 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 5 K, 2 BB). Against the Baseball Globetrotters during Italian Baseball Week 2025 on September 12th, the promising reliever threw one hitless inning with one strikeout and one walk. He returned two days later against the Czech Republic to pitch two innings of relief and allowed one run with one strikeout and two walks.
Alex Bassani(Pitcher)
Alex Bassani is a Team Italy pitching veteran who never gives up. He made his Azzurri pitching debut in 2017 and has been called upon in every international competition ever since. He earned the save in the 2021 European Baseball Championship bronze medal game against Spain and was the winning pitcher against Curacao at Haarlem Baseball Week 2022. The Bologna native was worth his weight in gold during Haarlem Baseball Week 2024 when allowing no hits against both the Kingdom of the Netherlands on July 13th (2 IP, 2 K) and Spain on July 15th (IP, K). However, the scouting report got out to his opponents a few days later when Chinese Taipei tagged him for three runs on four hits on July 17th. Most recently, Alex Bassani pitched two flawless innings of relief with two strikeouts against the Czech Republic during Italian Baseball Week 2025 on September 14th.
Matteo Bocchi(Pitcher)
The 29-year-old Parma native competed in the 2008 Little League World Series while on the first-ever Italian squad (Emilia Little League) to play in the international youth competition and a decade later on March 20, 2018 became the first Italian-born student-athlete to play for the College World Series-bound University of Texas Longhorns. Right-handed pitcher Matteo Bocchi signed with the Chicago Cubs on June 13, 2019 and reached as high as AAA playing for the Iowa Cubs. During his two seasons in the minors, he compiled a 4-3 record with one save in 37 appearances (3.90 ERA. 94.2 IP, 109 K). He has since been the most consistent Team Italy starter. During Haarlem Baseball Week 2024, he took the loss against the Kingdom of the Netherlands on July 13th (4 IP, ER, 4 H, 6 K, 2 BB) and held his own against Chinese Taipei on July 17th (3 IP, ER, 2 H, 3 K, BB).
Alessandro Ciarla(Pitcher)
After signing with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2016, Anzio-born Alessandro Ciarla returned to Italy to continue his pitching career. In his eight seasons to date, he has thrown 186.2 innings and amassed 244 strikeouts with an overall 3.33 ERA. The veteran pitcher held the Baseball Globetrotters scoreless (2 IP, H, 4 K, BB) during Italian Baseball Week 2025 on September 12th.
Luca Di Raffaele(Pitcher)
At Haarlem Baseball Week 2024, Luca Di Raffaele made three appearances. On July 13th against the Kingdom of the Netherlands, he pitched one inning and allowed one run on two hits. He faced Spain twice and fared better on the first encounter on July 15th when throwing 1.1 scoreless innings and later on July 18th gave up three runs on three hits with two strikeouts and two walks. During Italian Baseball Week 2025 on September 14th against the Czech Republic, Luca Di Raffaele also made a brief relief appearance (0.1 IP, H, 2 R, BB).
Juan Carlos Infante Jr.(Pitcher)
Up-and-coming hurler and son of Azzurri legend Juan Carlos Infante, pitcher Juan Carlos Infante Jr. made two appearances in the recent 2025 U23 European Baseball Championship. He earned the win against Austria (7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 7 K, BB) on August 7th before facing the Kingdom of the Netherlands in relief two days later (.1 IP, 2 H, R). During his four-year career playing for Modena, he has pitched 172.1 innings and produced 177 strikeouts with an overall 3.08 ERA. Against the Czech Republic during Italian Baseball Week 2025 on September 13th, the promising pitcher threw one hitless inning.
Angelo Palumbo(Pitcher)
Signed by the Baltimore Orioles in December 2012, Angelo Palumbo pitched for four seasons in the Dominican Summer League (5-19, 3.55 ERA) before enjoying a successful career in Venezuela and Italy. He made his Azzurri pitching debut in the 2018 Super 6 Baseball Tournament when he picking up his first victory over Belgium on September 19, 2018 (5 .1 IP, 3 H, R, 4 K) and returned the following year to beat the Belgians again on September 11, 2019 (5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 6 K) in the European Baseball Championship. The six-foot-three right-handed pitcher returned for this third Team Italy win against the Czech Republic on September 19, 2019 (6 IP, 7 H, R, 2 K). He later appeared out of the bullpen against the Kingdom of the Netherlands on September 21, 2019 and got both Dutch hitters he faced out easily. During Haarlem Baseball Week 2022, Angelo Palumbo made appearances against Curacao (4 IP, H, 0 ER, 4 K, 3 BB) and Cuba (IP, 1 H). Most recently, he pitched one scoreless inning against the Team Italy U23 squad on July 16, 2025 before taking the loss against the Czech Republic during Italian Baseball Week 2025 on September 14th (0.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R).
Gabriele Quattrini(Pitcher)
Impressive at Haarlem Baseball Week 2024, pitcher Gabriele Quattrini earned the win over Spain on July 15th (6.2 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 4 K, 3 BB). Two years prior at Haarlem Baseball Week in 2022, he picked up another win against Cuba on July 13th (6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 3 K, 2 BB). The Team Italy workhorse seeks redemption after two lackluster 2023 European Baseball Championship appearances against Sweden (3.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 K, BB) and Switzerland (3.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 7 K). Gabriele Quattrini limited the Czech Republic to one run on four hits with five strikeouts and one walk in his five-inning start during Italian Baseball Week 2025 on September 13th.
Luis Santana(Pitcher)
Working out of the Parma Clima bullpen during the past two seasons, pitcher Luis Santana has gained his share of Italian baseball fans because of his talent (2-0, 5.01 ERA, 23.1 IP, 29 K in 2024 and 4-1, 4.79 ERA, 47 IP, 56 K in 2025). He has spent nine seasons to date in Italy (27-20, 4.50 ERA 434 IP, 411 K). During Italian Baseball Week against the Czech Republic on September 14th, reliever Luis Santana made a less-than-desirable appearance (0.0 IP, H, 2 ER, 2 BB).
Claudio Scotti(Pitcher)
A product of the FIBS Academy, Claudio Scotti signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 1, 2016. After two years in the Pirates organization, he returned to pitch for Team Italy during Haarlem Baseball Week and the Super 6 in 2018. The hard-throwing pitcher enjoyed success when signing with UnipolSai Bologna and leading the team to two consecutive Italian championship titles in 2019 and 2020 as well as winning the European Champions Cup in 2019. After pitching seven scoreless innings with 16 strikeouts for the Azzurri in the 2021 U23 European Baseball Championship in Verona and after two starts at the 2021 Senior Elite European Baseball Championship in Turin, he signed with the New York Mets on October 2, 2021. Claudio Scotti spent two seasons in the minor leagues before returning to Italy. He made two appearances at the 2023 European Baseball Championship (IP, H, R, 2 K, 2 BB). The right-handed hurler has since pitched two solid regular seasons for Parma Clima (2-1, 4.11 ERA, 30.2 IP, 42 K in 2024 and 5-1, 2.14 ERA, 46.1 IP 55 K in 2025).
Mattia Sireus(Pitcher)
Mattia Sireus made two relief appearances at the 2023 European Baseball Championship against Great Britain on September 26th (1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 3 K, 2 BB) and Croatia on September 30th (3 IP, 2 H, R, 3 K, 2 BB). He took the loss in his start against USA at Haarlem Baseball Week 2024 on July 14th (4.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 5 K, 2 BB). The young right-handed pitcher made his two relief appearances at the recent 2025 U23 European Baseball Championship. In 2.2. innings against the Kingdom of the Netherlands on August 8th, he surrendered four runs on five hits with one strikeout and one walk; however, the promising hurler came back strong two days later against the Czech Republic and threw 2.2 scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Making a start during Italian Baseball Week 2025 against the Czechs on September 14th, Mattia Sireus threw 3.2 innings and allowed one run on two hits with three strikeouts and two walks.
Miguel Fabrizio(Catcher/1B)
Signed by the Chicago Cubs in 2017, Miguel Fabrizio played in 181 games and spent five seasons in the minors (546 AB, 148 H, 74 R, 9 HR, 94 RBI, 10 SB .271 BA) before launching his career in Italy. His two seasons at Hotsand Macerata have been successful (195 AB, 60 H, 38 R, 5 HR, 41 RBI, .308 BA). The Team Italy cleanup hitter singled against the Baseball Globetrotters during Italian Baseball Week 2025 on September 12th. The reliable catcher returned two days later against the Czech Republic and hit an RBI double and later scored.
Samuele Gamberini(Catcher/1B)
A bright spot during Haarlem Baseball Week 2024, slugger Samuele Gamberini raked at the plate (7-for-23, 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .304 BA, .913 OPS) and was named Best Hitter of the tournament. At the recent 2025 U23 European Baseball Championship, the Azzurri cleanup hitter appeared in all five games (5-for-13, 2B, RBI, 6 BB, .385 BA).
Giaconino Lasaracina (Catcher/3B)
Giaconino Lasaracina split time behind the plate and in right field during the 2025 U23 European Baseball Championship. The three-hole hitter went 4-for-16 with two doubles, two walks and two RBI. During his past four seasons playing in Italy for Collecchio and Settimo, he has produced massive numbers (.366 BA, .592 SLG, .440 OBP, 1.032 OPS). Against the Czech Republic during Italian Baseball Week 2025 on September 13th, the Team Italy DH went 3-for-4 with one double, three RBI and one run scored. He returned the following day against the Czechs and went 2-for-5 with one double, one RBI and one runs scored.
Alberto Mineo(Catcher)
Under the guidance of the late and great FIBS Hall of Famer Bill Holmberg, catcher Alberto Mineo signed with the Chicago Cubs at age 16 on November 20, 2010. He remained in the Cubs organization for seven years before being claimed on the waiver wire by the Toronto Blue Jays on December 14, 2017. He reached as high as Triple-A ball in 2018. Mineo spent 2019 in Double-A before being signing again with the Chicago Cubs on February 12, 2020 and later returning to Italy, where he won two straight European Cups in Parma (2021-22). Having made his national senior team debut at the 2015 Premier 12 and subsequently represented Team Italy in all other major international competitions, he is one of the finest Italian-born and developed players in recent history. During the 2023 European Baseball Championship, he went 6-for-17 (.353 BA) with three doubles, four walks and three RBI. Alberto Mineo led Parma Clima to the 2024 Italian Baseball Series Championship title and Leones de León to the 2025 Nicaraguan Professional Baseball League Championship crown. During Italian Baseball Week 2025 against the Czech Republic on September 14th, he went 1-for-3 with an RBI.
Lorenzo Morresi (Catcher/Infielder)
FIBS Academy graduate Lorenzo Morresi was a solid contributor for Team Italy at the 2023 U23 European Baseball Championship (4-for 11, .364 BA, 2B, HR, 5 BB, 6 RBI) Later serving as designated hitter, catcher and third baseman during Haarlem Baseball Week 2024, Lorenzo Morresi had a big game against USA on July 24th when the utilityman went two-for-three with two runs scored and one walk. the run producer also crossed the plate in subsequent games against Spain, Japan and Chinese Taipei. Back home in Italy playing for Hotsand Macerata in 2025, he hit .368 with six doubles, one triple, three homers, nine walks and 13 runs scored. The versatile player served as DH and shortstop against the Baseball Globetrotters during Italian Baseball Week 2024 on September 12th, when he went 3-for-4 (HR, 2 RBI). On the following day against the Czech Republic, the second baseman continued his hot-hitting ways going 2-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored.
Jesus Carrera(1B)
At Haarlem Week 2024, Jesus Carerra put the ball in play with just three strikeouts in 25 at-bats. He collected seven hits (.280 BA) with two walks and five RBI. During his six seasons in Italy playing for the likes of Hotsand Macerata, he put together strong offensive numbers (699 AB, 263 hits, 61 doubles, six triples, 13 homers, 109 walks, 151 RBI, .376 BA). The Team Italy first baseman hit an RBI single against the Baseball Globetrotters during Italian Baseball Week 2025 on September 12th.
Ricardo Paolini(2B)
During the 2023 European Baseball Championship, Ricardo Paolini played well defensively at second base and jump-started the Azzurri offense at the top of the lineup (6-for-23, one double, six walks, three RBI. 261 BA). Between his two appearances at Haarlem Baseball Week (2022 and 2024), he has a combined .273 BA (12-for-44) with one double, three walks and two RBI. The Team Italy second baseman collected two hits against the Baseball Globetrotters during Italian Baseball Week on September 12th. He returned two days later against the Czech Republic and went 1-for-2 with one walk, one RBI, one run scored and one stolen base.
Gabriele Angioi(SS/2B)
Versatile infielder Gabriele Angioi singled against Japan during Haarlem Baseball Week 2024 on July 16th and walked, singled and scored one run two days later against Spain. He played for Italian powerhouse Parma Clima in 2024 (.328 BA) and in 2025 (.307 BA). The Team Italy leadoff hitter went 2-for-3 against the Baseball Globetrotters during Italian Baseball Week on September 12th. A day later In game one against the Czech Republic, he went a perfect 4-for-4 with one walk, one RBI and one run scored. Gabriele Angioi returned to the top of the Azzurri lineup in game two against the Czechs, picked up another hit and later scored.
Renzo Martini(3B)
Signed by the New York Yankees in 2011, Renzo Martini spent five years in the minor leagues before playing in his native Venezuela. During his six-season career playing in Italy’s Serie A, corner infielder Renzo Martini has compiled an impressive .368 batting average with 63 doubles, 19 home runs, 167 RBI and 85 walks. He singled, doubled and scored against the Baseball Globetrotters during Italian Baseball Week 2025 on September 12th. Then the Italian slugger went 3-for-4 (home run, five RBI and two runs scored) on the following day against the Czech Republic. He once again raked at the plate in game two against the Czechs on September 14th, when going 2-for-3 with one triple, one RBI and one run scored.
Nathanael Batista(OF)
In the 2023 European Baseball Championship, Nathanael Batista went 8-for-22 (.364 BA) with seven walks, six RBI and four runs scored. At Haarlem Baseball Week 2024, the agile outfielder hit ..357 with one double, one homer, two walks and three RBI. He recently led San Marino to the 2025 Italian Baseball Series Championship title after putting together good regular season stats (.283 BA, nine doubles, one triple, five home runs, 26 walks and 23 RBI). During Italian Baseball Week 2025 against the Czech Republic on September 13th, the left fielder went 2-for-5 with one double, two RBI and two runs scored. He came back the following day against the Czechs and collected another hit, RBI and walk.
Jhorjan Guevara(OF)
SIgned by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2019, Jhorjan Guevara played two seasons in the minor leagues (.221 BA, nine doubles, HR, 23 BB, 14 SB) before launching an eye-popping career in Italy for Modena (2024: .365 BA, nine doubles, two triples, three home runs, 10 walks, 25 RBI, 12 SB; 2025: .476 BA, 10 doubles, three triples, five home runs, 14 walks, 29 RBI, nine SB). He singled and walked against the Baseball Globetrotters during Italian Baseball Week 2025 on September 12th. On the following day against the Czech Republic, the center fielder went 4-for-4 with two runs scored. The Team Italy power hitter had another monster day against the Czechs on September 14th, when going 2-for-3 with one home run, one walk, two runs scored and one stolen base.
Noel González(Utility)
Representing Team Italy in the 2021 European Baseball Championship, leadoff hitter Noel González was an integral part of the Azzurri bronze-medal squad. During his five-year career playing for Parma Clima, he has put together incredible numbers (.370 BA, 56 doubles, seven triples, seven home runs, 99 BB, 128 RBI, 12 SB). Against the Czech Republic during Italian Baseball Week 2025 on September 13th, the Cuban native went 2-for-4 with one RBI and two runs scored. He returned the following day against the Czechs and registered one hit, one walk, one RBI, one run scored and one stolen base.
Filippo Agretti(Utility)
Playing primarily third base with one start in right field for Team Italy at Haarlem Baseball Week 2024, Filippo Agretti was a bright spot in the Azzurri lineup (8-for-24, .348 BA, double, walk, four RBI). He had a monster 2025 season for Bologna (.354 BA, 11 doubles, three triples, 37 walks, 15 RBI, 6 SB). Against the Baseball Globetrotters during Italian Baseball Week on September 12th, the dependable utility man played left field, singled and later scored. He came back two days later against the Czechs and picked up an RBI.
Returning to Rotterdam, where Team Italy last won the 2012 European Baseball Championship title, is a dream come true for the Azzurri as the Italians seek redemption to recapture the gold magic again thirteen years later.
Team Italy celebrates winning the 2012 European Baseball Championship
Assuming victories in the games listed below, Team Italy will once again be at the throne of Euro baseball.
Wednesday, September 24, 2025 1:30 pm (ET) Team Italy vs. Group B fourth-place finisher (Kingdom of the Netherlands, Great Britain, France and Israel)
Thursday, September 25, 2025 1:30 pm (ET) Team Italy vs. Group A leader (Spain, Germany, Czech Republic and Sweden)
Friday, September 26, 2025 1:30 pm (ET) Team Italy vs. Semifinalist or Group A runner-up (Spain, Germany, Czech Republic and Sweden)
Saturday, September 27, 2025 1:30 pm (ET) Team Italy vs. Finalist or Group B leader or runner-up (Kingdom of the Netherlands, Great Britain, France and Israel).
Watch all the action live by clicking HERE or get the latest scores by clicking HERE. Forza #Italia!
2023 WBC stars Nicky Lopez, Vinnie Pasquantino, Miles Mastrobuoni and Brett Sullivan
Despite a 4-2 record during the 2023 Senior Elite European Baseball Championship in the Czech Republic, Team Italy placed ninth due to Team Quality Balance. After suffering an 8-3 upset by Sweden (8th place) and a heartbreaking 11-10 loss to eventual silver medalist Great Britain early in the tournament, the Azzurri did not reach the quarterfinals. As a result, the Italians were relegated to the 9-12 placement round and did not automatically qualify for the 2025 European Baseball Championship in the Netherlands.
Now Team Italy must earn the right to compete against the top 2023 Euro finishers (Groups A and B) in Rotterdam from September 24-27, 2025 by hosting and winning one of two qualifiers (Group C) in Novara from September 20-22, 2025. The Italians begin their journey in Novara with the aim of returning to Rotterdam, where the Azzurri last won the 2012 European Baseball Championship title and aspire to recapture the gold magic again thirteen years later.
The top eight finishers from the 2023 Senior Elite European Baseball Championship are broken up into two groups, Groups A and B, in a round-robin tourney at Neptunus Familiestadion in Rotterdam. Group A features reigning champion Spain along with Germany, Czech Republic and Sweden, while host 2023 bonze medalist Kingdom of the Netherlands competes in Group B with Great Britain, France and Israel.
Eight countries competing in the 2025 Senior Elite European Baseball Championship Qualifiers are included in Groups C and D at different locations. Group C takes place in Novara, where Team Italy faces Switzerland, Greece and Lithuania. Belgium hosts Group D in Borgerhoutm and plays against Croatia, Austria and Hungary.
The top two teams from Groups C and D advance to Rotterdam and play the third and fourth-place finishers from Groups A and B. Then the winners of the aforementioned clashes together with the first two teams from Groups A and B compete in an elimination round to determine the medal winners.
Below is the road map for Team Italy manager Francisco Cervelli and technical coaching coordinator Gibo Gerali to lead the Azzurri squad to the 2025 Senior Elite European Baseball Championship final:
Saturday, September 20, 2025 9:30 am (ET) Switzerland vs. Team Italy in Novara
Sunday, September 21, 2025 9:30 am (ET) Team Italy vs. Lithuania in Novara
Monday, September 22, 2025 9:30 am (ET) Greece vs. Team Italy in Novara
Assuming Team Italy wins all three games listed above in Novara and continues to win the games below in Rotterdam then the road map looks like this:
Tuesday, September 23, 2025 Travel Day to Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Wednesday, September 24, 2025 1:30 pm (ET) Team Italy vs. Group B fourth-place finisher (Kingdom of the Netherlands, Great Britain, France and Israel)
Thursday, September 25, 2025 1:30 pm (ET) Team Italy vs. Group A leader (Spain, Germany, Czech Republic and Sweden)
Friday, September 26, 2025 1:30 pm (ET) Team Italy vs. Semifinalist or Group A runner-up (Spain, Germany, Czech Republic and Sweden)
Saturday, September 27, 2025 1:30 pm (ET) Team Italy vs. Finalist or Group B leader or runner-up (Kingdom of the Netherlands, Great Britain, France and Israel)
Team Italy hopes to recapture the European Baseball Championship throne after a lengthy 13-year drought. The Italians have won the Euro title ten times, while Kingdom of the Netherlands has dominated the tournament with 24 first-place finishes. The last time the two powerhouses met was at the Euro Championship final in 2019, when the Dutch prevailed in a 5-1 Euro Gold Medal victory in Bonn, Germany. It has been a long four years since 2021 European Baseball Championship host Team Italy earned a medal after a 2-0 shutout over Spain in the Bronze Medal Game in Torino.
Team Italy vs. Kingdom of the Netherlands
Nothing would be more enjoyable than a rematch between Team Italy and Kingdom of the Netherlands in the 2025 European Baseball Championship final in Rotterdam, where the Italians last won the Euros in 2012. Purchase your tickets for EuroBaseball 2025 by clicking HERE. If you cannot make it in person, watch all the action live by clicking HERE. Forza #Italia!
The 37th edition of the Euro Baseball Championship takes place in Prague, Brno, Ostrava, Trebic and Blansko. Team Italy begins Group B play in Trebic and competes against Hungary, Sweden and Great Britain. The two top teams advance to the quarterfinals in Brno.
The Czech Republic welcomes the Senior European Baseball Championship for the third time after presenting the international competition in 2005 and co-hosting the Euros with Germany in 2014. Team Italy hopes to dethrone four-time defending champion the Netherlands and recapture the Euro championship after an elusive 11-year absence. The Italians have won the European title 10 times, while the Dutch have dominated the tournament with 24 gold medal finishes. Most recently, Team Italy placed third when hosting the 2021 European Baseball Championship in Piemonte.
A total of 16 countries are competing in the 2023 European Baseball Championship. Host Czech Republic along with Spain, Austria and Greece make up Group A. Team Italy is in Group B with Hungary, Sweden and Great Britain. The Netherlands, France, Ukraine and Croatia battle in Group C. Newcomer Switzerland faces Germany, Israel and Belgium in Group D. The two top finishers of each group advance to the quarterfinals.
The Team Italy Group B schedule is as follows:
Sunday, September 24, 2023 at 11 am (local time): Hungary-Italy in Trebic
Monday, September 25, 2023 at 5:30 pm (local time): Italy-Sweden in Trebic
Tuesday, September 26, 2023 at 5:30 pm (local time): Great Britain-Italy in Trebic
If Team Italy wins Group B, the Italians advance to the quarterfinals in Brno.
The top seed from Group B will play the second seed from Group A (Austria, Czech Republic, Greece and Spain) in the quarterfinal on Thursday, September 28, 2023 at 12 noon (local time).
The winner of the quarterfinal game will advance to the semifinal and play the winner of the game between the top seed in Group A and the second seed in Group B on Friday, September 29, 2023 at 6:30 pm (local time)
The winner of the semifinal game will move on to the final on Sunday, October 1, 2023 at 6:30 pm (local time) in Brno, while the loser will battle for the bronze medal game earlier in the day at 12 noon (local time). Forza #Italia!
The IABF All-Stars are managed by former Team Italy and Parma manager Gibo Gerali
Gibo Gerali brings over three decades of coaching and managerial experience to the IABF All-Stars. The former scout for the Colorado Rockies is respected internationally for his ability to find athletes with raw talent and assist them to reach their full potential so that they may one day become professional ballplayers. After serving as bench coach for Team Italy in the 2007 World Cup, Parma manager GiboGerali led his squad to the 2010 Italian Baseball League Championship title. His winning ways continued as he also helped Team Italy claim the 2010 and 2012 European Baseball Championships.
GiboGerali later assisted Team Europe in finding success in the 2015 Asia Winter League. After serving as bench coach for Team Italy in the 2013 and 2017 World Baseball Classic, he took over as manager for Marco Mazzieri and later gave way for current Azzurri manager Mike Piazza. A former pitcher for Crocetta, Parma, Reggio Emilia, Astra, and Collecchio during his playing days. Gibo Gerali has since proven himself as a tried-and-tested leader internationally as one of Europe’s most respected managers.
Parma native Gibo Gerali returns to the USA as manager for the IABF All-Stars
Manager Gibo Gerali has selected nine Italian prospects to participate in the IABF Bay Area Collegiate Baseball Games. Parma Clima pitcher Edoardo Acerbi hopes to lead the IABF All-Stars to victory in the USA. Having compiled a 2-0 record with two saves in 12 appearances last year in Serie A competition while pitching for the reigning European Baseball Champions Cup champion Parma Clima, the strong right-handed pitcher tipped off his talent early on at the youth level when he won the Italian national cadet title in 2014 with Oltretorrenteand represented Europe-Africa with Emilia Romagnain the 2014 Senior League World Series.
Edoardo Acerbi was awarded the Sant’Ilario Prize for Sport by the Parma Sports Veterans Union in 2015, The following year hewon again with Oltretorrentewhen capturing the Italian national U21 championship title and later helped the Team Italy U18 squad take the silver medal in the 2016 European Baseball Championship. Edoardo Acerbi was invited to participate in the 2017 International Stars Showcase in Arizona and as a result received a scholarship to play baseball at IowaState University in 2019. IABF All-Stars manager Gibo Gerali said, “Edoardo Acerbi is a pitcher that has yet to show his true potential. He is a strong pitcher who possesses a fastball that reaches 90 mph in addition to a nasty curveball. With this competition in the San Francisco Bay Area, we will be working on his control and his confidence so that he can develop into an elite international competitor.”
IABF All-Star pitcher Edoardo Acerbi has represented Team Italy in international competitions
Parma Clima teammate Francesco Pompani is currently beingscouted by severalU.S. colleges. If he performs well with the IABF All-Stars, he is destined to get a scholarship. Having represented Europe-Africa as a member of the Italian team from Emilia Romagna at the 2018 Senior League World Series, Francesco Pompani has already played internationally.
One of 17 Italian prospects invited to the MLB Elite European Development Tournament in conjunction with the 2019 London Series, Francesco Pompani has been on the radar of international MLB scouts for some time. He has played for Team Italy on several occasions and will remain a member of the Azzurri squad for years to come. Gibo Gerali said, “Francesco Pomponi is in his first year as a full-time pitcher for Parma Clima. He will work out of the bullpen as a reliever. His fastball, slider and changeup have opened up some eyes in Italy. He also is a very good middle infielder with soft hands.”
Parma Clima pitcher / middle infielder Francesco Pompani is seeking a college scholarship
A familiar name on Team Italy, Riccardo Flisi played in the 2014 U15 Baseball World Cup and the 2017 U18 Baseball World Cup, Most recently, he helped the Azzurri win the bronze medal in the 2021 U23 European Baseball Championship by going 4-for-14 (.286 batting average) with two RBI. Riccardo Flisi was one of the best hitters of the 2021 Collecchio squad with a .363 batting average. Gibo Gerali said, “Riccardo Flisi is a speedy outfielder that grew up as a catcher but a hip injury slowed down his development. He is fun to watch and has a good arm.”
IABF All-Star outfielder / catcher Riccardo Flisi is on the improve after undergoing hip surgery
Sebastiano Catellani represented Europe-Africa playing for Emilia Romagna at tthe Junior League World Series (2018). Most recently he was instrumental in Oltretorrente winning the Italian U18 national title when hitting .286 overall through the regular season and pitching five scoreless innings with six strikeouts against Academy of Nettuno in the Final Four playoffs on October 2, 2021. Sebastiano Catellani will be a key component of the Team Italy U18 pitching staff. Gibo Gerali said, “Sebastiano Catellani is a left-handed pitcher and outfielder. He made a vast improvement last year when he had a big part in winning the U18 national title. Sebastiano will benefit from the USA trip because he needs more experience playing games in order to gain the necessary composure to be dominant.”
Sebastiano Catellani is a secret weapon in the Team Italy U18 pitching arsenal
Representing Team Italy in the U18 World Cup, Andrea Pasotto demonstrated his versatility in the outfield or coming off the bench as a pinch hitter. He has since produced good offensive numbers in Serie A playing for Collecchio. In 2020 he hit .255, while he put together a .293 batting average in 2021. Gibo Gerali said, “Andrea Pasotto is a solid outfielder who is ranked among the best prospects in Italy. He has spent the last two seasons in the top Italian league and has showed he belongs.”
Utility player Andrea Pasotto has proven his weight in gold for Team Italy in on the world stage
Catcher Marco Ragionieri had a breakout year in 2021 playing for Oltetorrente (.269 batting average) and Parma Clima. Currently a member of the Team Italy U18 squad, he might very well follow in the footsteps of Alberto Mineo behind the plate and land a professional baseball contract. Gibo Gerali said, “Marco Ragionieri is a young catcher who is very well built. He really needs these games in America so that he can get more innings under his belt. Marco has huge potential and has already been tracked by several MLB organizations.”
Italian catcher Marco Ragionieri is one of Europe’s most promising baseball prospects
Tommaso Nani was a member of the Team Italy U18 squad in the 2021 European Baseball Championship in Macerata and Montegranaro. He comes off a strong season playing for Codogno with a .328 batting average. Gibo Gerali said, “Tommaso Nani is the only player on this trip to America that is not from Parma. He is a versatile infielder who has been part of the last Team Italy U18 squad. With an excellent work ethic, Tommaso is improving his baseball skills every single day.”
IABF All-Star infielder Tommaso Nani is a young and talented Italian player
Pitcher Riccardo Bigliardi has made a name for himself in Italy. He went 4-0 with two saves and an impressive 0.00 ERA in 24 innings of work during the 2020 season for Crocetta. Riccardo Bigliardi returned last year with more success sporting a 2-1 record with four saves and a 2.36 ERA.
Having represented Europe-Africa playing for Emilia Romagna in the 2018 Senior League World Series, he has showed the world his talent. Riccardo Bigliardi pitched for Team Italy in the U18 European Baseball Championship and been invited to workouts with the Azzurri U23 squad. Gibo Gerali said, “Riccardo Bigliardi is a lean and mean lefty with huge room for improvement. He is very competitive and has become a promising pitching prospect.”
Pitcher Riccardo Bigliardi can be a dominant force on the mound
Tommaso Adorni has represented Europe-Africa playing for Emilia Romagna at the Little League World Series (2016), the Junior League World Series (2018) and the Senior League World Series (2019). Baseball Factory commented that he had plus bat speed, used the whole field and swung with authority. He was one of 17 Italian prospects invited to the MLB Elite European Development Tournament in conjunction with the 2019 London Series.
After representing Team Italy in the 2021 U18 European Baseball Championship, Tommaso Adorni showed some speed and power at the plate with seven extra-base hits (four doubles, one triple and two home runs) playing for Collecchio. Gibo Gerali said, “Tommaso Adorni is a very talented outfielder despite his young age. He has had the chance to participate at several international tournaments. Tommaso is among the top three prospects in Italy…”
IABF All-Star outfielder Tommaso Adorni is considered one of Italy’s top baseball prospects
The IABF San Francisco Bay Area Collegiate Games begin on April 20, 2022 and continue through April 27, 2022. The IABF All-Stars will compete against Holy Names University, San Jose State University, Sonoma State University, San Francisco State University and the University of San Francisco. For a complete schedule with game times and locations, click HERE.
IABF All-Star manager Gibo Gerali will be assisted by American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Famer John Noce, who coached more than 365 baseball players at College of San Mateo (CSM) from 1962-1995. With a 772-412 (. 652) record at CSM over 31 seasons, John Noce retired having sent 72 players into professional baseball and eight to MLB. The IABF All-Stars will practice at the College of San Mateo in preparation for the IABF Bay Area Collegiate Games. Pitching coach Rob Biagini, father of MLB pitcher Joe Biagini and coaching coordinator Matt Brown will round out the IABF All-Stars coaching staff.
The IABF will honor the IABF All-Stars, their coaching staff and prominent Bay Area Italian American college baseball coaches Brad San Filippo(San Jose State University), Tony Ragusa (Sonoma State University), Tony Schifano (San Francisco State University) and Craig Gianinno (University of San Francisco) at the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club on Sunday, April 24, 2022 beginning at 6 pm with complimentary Italian appetizers followed by an exclusive Meet-and-Greet with the visiting Italian players, former Team Italy and MLB players and current Italian American Bay Area coaches. For tickets to this special event, click HERE.
Team Italy manager Mike Piazza has given back to countless of his favorite charities over the years, but it is nice to see the National Baseball Hall of Famer being recognized as the Viscardi Center’s Sportsman of the Year on May 20, 2021. In its 54th year, the Viscardi Center’s Celebrity Sports Night continues to be one of the premier fundraising events in the New York Metropolitan area. The event raises funds to enrich the lives of children and adults with all types of disabilities and acute medical needs. Attended by several hundred community leaders, philanthropic individuals, celebrities and pro athletes, the Viscardi Center’s 54th Annual Celebrity Sports Night is not to be missed. To learn more on how you can participate in this year’s virtual event, click HERE.
Mike Piazza has also been kind enough to contribute items of interest in the online silent auction. Fans can bid on a Mike Piazza Autographed Framed Photograph of his monumental home run in the first game back after 9/11 with his special inscription “United We Stand.” In addition, baseball aficionados can bid on a Virtual 30-minute VIP Meet and Greet with Mike Piazza for up to 10 people. Everyone will also receive a personally signed baseball by the Team Italy manager. Another interesting silent auction item is an invitation to The Wine 100 hosted by Derek Jeter, who proudly presents a private Wine Tasting party featuring some of the most desirable wines in the world. The exclusive event is limited to 100 couples and is held in Naples, Florida on a Saturday in January 2022. Time and location will be revealed privately to all participants.
The Viscardi Center’s Celebrity Sports Night on Thursday, May 20, 2021 kicks off at 6:30 pm (EDT) with an action-packed online cocktail reception featuring live interactions on Zoom with Italian American baseball favorite Bobby Valentine and others. To join in on the fun, click HERE.
Mike Piazza at a press conference announcing his appointment as the new Team Italy manager at Comitato Olimpico Nazionale Italiano (CONI) headquarters in Rome on November 29, 2019.
Organized by FICTS (Federation Internationale Cinema Television Sportifs) and recognized by the International Olympic Committee, the world-renowned Sport Movies & TV 2020 Festival has selected Introducing Team Italy Manager Mike Piazza as a finalist in the FICTS Worldwide Championship of Television, Cinema, Sport, Culture and Communication in Milan, Italy from November 7-11, 2020. Director Roberto Angotti returns for his second FICTS Sport Movies & TV World Challenge after his Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum Award-winning Italian American Baseball Family documentary was selected as a finalist in 2018. The grand final of 20 World FICTS Challenge Festivals spanning five continents, the Sport Movies & TV 2020 Festival will be livestreamed on the ms360.tv website and broadcast live on MS Channel Sky 814. Introducing Team Italy Manager Mike Piazza will be livestreamed Monday, November 9, 2020 at 11:15 am (EST) on both platforms. FICTS promotes the values of sport through images in over 123 affiliated nations and is presided over by Professor Franco Ascani of the Italian Olympic Committee Commission for Culture and Olympic Heritage. Introducing Team Italy Manager Mike Piazza is among the elite productions of the nearly 1,000 submissions from 50 countries in 52 sport disciplines. The FICTS International Jury, made up of ambassadors in the world of cinema, television, media, sport and culture, will deliberate on which productions to select for “Guirlande d’Honneur” (Oscar of Cinema and Sport Television), “Mention d’Honneur” (Honorable Mention), and “Special Awards” for each of the eight categories.
Introducing Team Italy Manager Mike Piazza is a musical odyssey documentary featuring the music of Grammy nominee Pato Banton. Filmed at the Italian National Olympic Committee headquarters in Rome and the 2020 CON6 Baseball and Softball Convention in Rimini, the documentary highlights the celebrated career of National Baseball Hall of Famer Mike Piazza and captures the new leader of the Italian national baseball program as he meets the press and his team for the first time since his appointment.
Introducing Team Italy Manager Mike Piazzaprovides a behind-the-scenes perspective on the iconic baseball figure and features interviews with Hall of Fame Manager Tommy Lasorda, New York Mets Announcer Wayne Randazzo, and former major leaguers John Franco and Chris Colabello. During his induction speech into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Mike Piazza thanked the country of Italy for giving him the gift of his father, whose family roots stem from Sciacca, Sicily. Mike Piazza honored his ancestral heritage by playing for Team Italy in the 2006 World Baseball Classic and later coaching the Azzurri squad to two European Baseball Championships. Forza #Italia!
Introducing Team Italy ManagerMike Piazza is a musical odyssey documentary featuring the music of Grammy nominee Pato Banton. Produced by award-winning director Roberto Angotti, Introducing Team Italy Manager Mike Piazza highlights the celebrated career of National Baseball Hall of Famer Mike Piazza.
The film’s opening scene takes place at the 2020 CON6 Italian Baseball and Softball Convention in Rimini, Italy, where Mike Piazza briefly takes the stage before flashing back to Shea Stadium in New York for the first live sporting event post-9/11. Through the lyrics of his song “What a Come Back”, renowned musician Pato Banton collaborates with director Roberto Angotti to tell the story of how Mike Piazza’s heroic home run helped heal a shaken-up nation in fear. In the case of Mike Piazza, who has beaten the odds from being a last-round courtesy draft pick to becoming a National Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee, the opening song exemplifies the resilience and perseverance Mike Piazza and the American people possessed.
New York Mets play-by-play announcer Wayne Randazzo makes brief but poignant appearances throughout the 36-minute documentary to attest to Mike Piazza’s footprint in New York and sports history as well as validate the Hall of Famer’s commitment to the growth and development of Italian baseball. Using tidbits of information from Mike Piazza’s New York Times best-selling autobiography Long Shot, the film touches on young Mike’s childhood affinity for Spider-Man and his pregame ritual of eating Tastykake on the way to Philadelphia Phillies games at Veteran’s Stadium.
Narrated by Pato Banton‘s song “No Worry Piazza,” the film retraces the path that Mike Piazza took growing up. A cameo appearance from longtime family friend and former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda confirms that Mike was overlooked as a prospect by major-league scouts at that time. The film traverses Piazza’s journey from high school baseball star to National Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee and on to his newest role as manager of the Italian national baseball team. Interview segments from former New York Mets pitcher and teammate John Franco as well as former MLB player and current Team Italy slugger Chris Colabello gauge the excitement around Mike as the new leader for Italian baseball.
Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza is presented his jersey during a press conference announcing him as Italy’s national baseball team manager at the Italian Olympic Committee headquarters in Rome on November 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Alberto Pellaschiar)
The film revisits Mike Piazza’s call to the National Baseball Hall of Fame when he was selected as an inductee. With the backdrop of Pato Banton’s guitar-driven anthem “Never Give In Piazza,” viewers experience the determination and resilience of Mike Piazza firsthand. Making his way to Cooperstown, New York for the National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Mike recognizes the roles that Tommy Lasorda and Reggie Smith played in his career. Piazza embraces the life lessons learned from these baseball legends, including to never give in and to never quit. Mike gives thanks to the country of Italy for giving him the gift of his father, whose unwavering faith in him served as an anchor. Then he honors his mother for giving him the gift of his Catholic faith. His parents formed the foundation upon which Mike grounded his career and life, and he brings that same foundation into his own marriage and family.
Using the classic “Niceness” rhythm, Pato Banton treats viewers to a new song entitled “Baseball Reggae,” an ode to the game and Italian family heritage Mike cherished with all his heart. It also pays tribute to the Italian baseball family of Joe DiMaggio, Roy Campanella, Yogi Berra, Ernie Lombardi, Tony Lazzeri, and Phil Rizzuto. The film reveals Mike’s Italian roots in Sciacca, Sicily, and he honors his family heritage by playing for Team Italy in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.
In the next song, “Go Mike Go”, Pato Banton personalizes the reggae classic and creates a fitting tribute to the leader of the Italian baseball revolution, Mike Piazza. From the first beat of the song when Citi Field comes alive as the site of the Mike Piazza Day celebration, viewers travel across the Atlantic mid-song and follow Mike Piazza to Italy. Then Mike Piazza speaks to the media for the first time from the Italian Olympic Committee headquarters in Rome after the official press conference announcing the new Team Italy manager took place.
The film also captures Mike Piazza being interviewed by the Italian press at the 2020 CON6 Baseball and Softball Coaches Convention in Rimini. Using Pato Banton‘s “My Opinion” rhythm as a soundtrack, Team Italy manager Mike Piazza and pitching coach Bill Holmberg talk to their players behind closed doors about what it will take for them to make the upcoming World Baseball Classic roster. Highlights from Team Italy in the 2013 and 2017 World Baseball Classic competitions are shown with Pato Banton‘s “Gwarn Piazza” in the background.
Mike Piazza and Bill Holmberg share their philosophy of developing players at all age levels and their ongoing commitment to growing the game of baseball in Italy with director Roberto Angotti. The film concludes with rare footage of the 2020 CON6 Coaches Convention where Mike is freely taking photos with fans and signing memorabilia. Ultimately, Introducing Team Italy Manager Mike Piazza shows how much the Hall of Fame catcher loves Italy and how Italy wholeheartedly embraces him. Forza #Italia!
Grammy nominee Pato Banton and director Roberto Angotti in the recording studio (Photo by Peter McEvilley)
Team Italy’s Marten Gasparini and Alex Liddi at 2015 Kansas City Royals Spring Training Camp in Surprise, Arizona (Photo by Roberto Angotti)
It appears that the 2015 World Champion Kansas City Royals want to return to their winning ways by bringing Italy’s finest exports, Alex Liddi and Marten Gasparini, back together again. Alex Liddi, the first Italian-born and developed player to make to it to Major League Baseball (Seattle Mariners, 2011), recently re-signed with the Kansas City Royals organization after spending the last two years playing in Mexico. Marten Gasparini, who signed for $1.3 million with the Kansas City Royals in 2013, is the player insiders believe will follow in Liddi’s footsteps as the second Italian-born and developed player in the Big Leagues. Gasparini is still heralded as Europe’s top MLB prospect and is progressing every day up the ladder in Minor League Baseball. Nick Leto, Manager of Arizona Operations for the Kansas City Royals, said, “We’re very happy to be reuniting the Italians again.”
Alex Liddi takes batting practice prior to the 2013 Italy/Mexico World Baseball Classic game at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Arizona.
After being signed the first time by the Kansas City Royals on December 28, 2014, Liddi was named 2015 Texas League Mid-Season All-Star while playing for Double-A affiliate Northwest Arkansas but never got the opportunity to join fellow Team Italy comrade Drew Butera on the 2015 World Champion Royals. Later he signed with 2015 Mexican Baseball League Champion Tigres de Quintana Roo in 2016. Hitting a respectable .281 in 110 games played, Alex led the Tigres in doubles (28), triples (4), home runs (23), RBI (91), total bases (220) and slugging percentage (.538). He was crowned 2016 Mexican All-Star Home Run Derby Champion by launching 12 homers that cleared the outfield fences with ease.
The Mexican baseball accolades continued for Alex as he later became the first Italian to play in the Caribbean Series when joining 2016 Mexican Champion Venados de Mazatlán. Better known as Serie del Caribe or the Caribbean World Series, it is Latin America’s highest competitive baseball tournament at the club level featuring the respective champions from Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. In his final four games playing for Mexico’s Venados de Mazatlán, Liddi went 4-for-17 with a triple and a double to help the Mexicans become 2016 Caribbean Series Champion. After playing for Team Italy in the 2016 European Baseball Championship, Alex underwent left knee surgery. He rebounded triumphantly and returned to his winning form by powering Toros de Tijuana to the 2017 Mexican League Championship with 17 home runs during the regular season.
Team Italy third baseman Alex Liddi
The great American author Charles Dickens once wrote: “The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again.” The old adage is appropriate in the case of Alex Liddi and his recent re-signing by the Kansas City Royals. Leto said, “Alex made a great impression on the Royals when we had him. We have scouts that keep up with the league in Mexico. He’s someone that we checked on from time to time, and he almost came back into the organization last summer. The draw to Alex is his power, professionalism and makeup. He’s a winner. Experience isn’t everything, but Alex has played in a lot professional minor league games. He has major league experience, big time world tourney experience and foreign league experience. Alex has been through a lot of ups and downs while being around a lot of players. He knows what success and failure look like. Alex is a people person, who likes to be in the clubhouse. He is a run producer and an excellent teammate. Alex has been invited to minor league mini-camp so he’ll be in position to play in some major league spring training games.”
Alex Liddi is the face of Italian baseball. The first player from Italy to play in the Major Leagues since 1954, Liddi was honored by World Baseball Softball Federation president Riccardo Fraccari, who called him “a real ambassador of Italian baseball.” With the opportunity to spur the growth of baseball in Europe by competing at the sport’s highest level, Alex Liddi has inspired young Italian athletes like Royals’ prospect Marten Gasparini to believe that playing Major League Baseball is a reality.
KC Royals prospect Marten Gasparini
Gasparini is still a work-in-progress, and according to MLB.com, the 20-year-old is the Royals 19th-ranked prospect. Adapting to his new position in the outfield from shortstop, the switch-hitting Gasparini played for Single-A affiliate Lexington in 2017. Leto, who was instrumental in the Royals’ signing of Marten, spoke confidently about Gasparini. He said, “There’s great belief in Marten’s ability. It’s a process. All players develop differently. There’s no question about Marten ability, it’s just time and reps. Switch-hitting is a really difficult skill to develop. Marten has experienced a lot of things for the first time since signing a professional contract. His intelligence, maturity, and awareness are going to allow these lessons to stick and be applied. There’s no doubt Marten will be a major league player, not a just a player, a special major league player, a championship player.”
With the support of the Kansas City Royals organization, both Alex Liddi and Marten Gasparini are destined for success. Despite a nine-year age difference between them, both players share the same intensity, tenacity and desire to play Major League Baseball. With a plethora of adoring fans from Europe, North America and south of the border cheering him on, international baseball ambassador Alex Liddi believes he is ready for his return to MLB. Marten Gasparini would like nothing more to join his mentor on the Kansas City Royals. Nick Leto would also like that very much. He said, “Who knows, maybe they’ll both get to Kansas City together…”
Legendary Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags Baseball Coach Bill Arce with Tommy Lasorda
Claremont McKenna College is located in Claremont, California, at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains, 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. The top ten-ranked U.S. school is part of the seven-college consortium known as The Claremont Colleges, which includes Scripps College, Pomona College, Harvey Mudd College, Pitzer College, Claremont Graduate University and Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences.
With majestic Mount Baldy providing the perfect backdrop for the optimal collegiate baseball setting, the late and great Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Stags Baseball Head Coach Bill Arce fulfilled his promise to empower those who played on the Arce Field of Dreams to attain excellence. Former student athlete Wes Parker, who played under Coach Arce from 1959-1961, enjoyed a career with the LA Dodgers from 1964-1971. Arce once said, “Wes was the hardest worker I ever had. He honed his great natural talent with tremendous work ethic.”
When Internationally-acclaimed broadcast journalist Josh Chetwynd wrote his book “Baseball in Europe: A Country by Country History” (2008), he acknowledged the invaluable contribution of legendary Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Baseball Coach Bill Arce. In his introduction, author Josh Chetwynd wrote: Some Americans have made a commitment to the European game for no reason but for the love of the sport. During the Battle of the Bulge, Bill Arce was a member of General George Patton’s Third Army. Injured in the fighting, Arce prayed to God. He promised that if he were to survive, he’d spend his life in a meaningful way. Arce would go on to become a university professor, administrator and baseball coach–and would give to European baseball like no other. Often paying out of his own pocket, he was the first American coach to hold baseball clinics in Sweden (1962), Czechoslolvakia (1969) and Yugoslavia (1979). All told, he worked in fifteen different European countries and was the only person to have coached two different countries–the Netherlands (in 1971) and Italy (in 1975) to a European Baseball Championship. In his first chapter on the Netherlands in “Baseball in Europe: A Country by Country History”, Josh Chetwynd retraced the story how Bill Arce became involved in coaching abroad: Bill Arce’s entry into European baseball was mere happenstance. “I was on a plane trip with a professor from Stanford going to a convention in New York,” recalled Arce about his 1960 introduction to the European game. “At the bottom of the sports page, I noticed an item saying Holland had won the European baseball tournament. I commented that would be a great way to spend a leave from college, working with baseball players in a country like Holland.” Sometime after that he received a letter from a friend who was serving as the American consul in Amsterdam saying they were looking for a coach. Arce, who served as athletic director and head coach at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, jumped at the opportunity in 1962.
During his 25-year tenure as head baseball coach and as the founding athletic director of the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps athletic department, Bill Arce developed the program, facilities and staff into one of the top NCAA Division III private college programs in the country.
The book “Baseball in Europe: A Country by Country History” elaborated on the significant impact Bill Arce had on baseball abroad: Arce would become not only a tireless teacher for the Dutch but also a master organizer. As the Dutch Baseball Hall of Famer Han Urbanus put it years later: “Bill Arce became one of the most famous and trusted coaches in our baseball history.”
On Arce’s initial trip, he took a leave of absence from his U.S. academic commitments and spent more than a year working with Dutch players. For years after that, he brought college-aged teams to Holland to play and coach. Arce’s players were central figures in improving play in Holland. So much so “that the impact it had on Dutch baseball is still felt there today,” wrote longtime Atlanta Braves scout Bill Clark in 1995. A top-flight coach, he would also lead the Netherlands to a gold medal in the 1971 European Baseball Championship.
After much success coaching in Holland, international ambassador Bill Arce crossed enemy lines to help Euro rival Italy in developing its baseball program. After managing the Italian national team in the 1973 and 1975 Intercontinental Cups, he ended Italy’s 21-year drought by bringing home the 1975 European Baseball Championship title.
After being inducted into both the Dutch and Italian Baseball Halls of Fame, Bill Arce’s influence still reigned internationally. Following the conclusion the 2011 American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Convention, MLB International’s Jason Holowaty said: “For me the highlight was a special dinner hosted by MLB to honor Bill Arce, one of the first U.S. college coaches to start visiting Europe and a central figure in the development of European baseball and MLB International. Through the years he has influenced so many people in international baseball, including myself. It was great for everyone to get a chance to say thank you to such an important man.” He was also honored when given the European Baseball Coaches Association (EBCA) Career Achievement Award in 2012. Arce launched the EBCA exchange program, an initiative to develop European coaches’ insights in every aspect of the game through collaborative mentoring by experienced American coaches.
The Stags legend finished his college coaching career with an impressive 606-472-7 record. Prior to his passing in 2016, Bill Arce was inducted into the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletic Coaches and the American Baseball Coaches Halls of Fame as well as received the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Distinguished Service Award.
Bill Arce Field is home to Stags baseball on the campus of Claremont McKenna College.
With the support of the Kansas City Royals organization, both Alex Liddi and Marten Gasparini are destined for success. Despite a nine-year age difference between them, both players share the same intensity, tenacity and desire to play Major League Baseball. With a plethora of adoring fans from Europe, North America and south of the border cheering him on, international baseball ambassador Alex Liddi believes he is ready for his return to MLB. Marten Gasparini would like nothing more to join his mentor on the Kansas City Royals. Nick Leto would also like that very much. He said, “Who knows, maybe they’ll both get to Kansas City together…”
In his first chapter on the Netherlands in “Baseball in Europe: A Country by Country History”, Josh Chetwynd retraced the story how Bill Arce became involved in coaching abroad: Bill Arce’s entry into European baseball was mere happenstance. “I was on a plane trip with a professor from Stanford going to a convention in New York,” recalled Arce about his 1960 introduction to the European game. “At the bottom of the sports page, I noticed an item saying Holland had won the European baseball tournament. I commented that would be a great way to spend a leave from college, working with baseball players in a country like Holland.” Sometime after that he received a letter from a friend who was serving as the American consul in Amsterdam saying they were looking for a coach. Arce, who served as athletic director and head coach at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, jumped at the opportunity in 1962.
The book “Baseball in Europe: A Country by Country History” elaborated on the significant impact Bill Arce had on baseball abroad: Arce would become not only a tireless teacher for the Dutch but also a master organizer. As the Dutch Baseball Hall of Famer Han Urbanus put it years later: “Bill Arce became one of the most famous and trusted coaches in our baseball history.” 
After much success coaching in Holland, international ambassador Bill Arce crossed enemy lines to help Euro rival Italy in developing its baseball program. After managing the Italian national team in the 1973 and 1975 Intercontinental Cups, he ended Italy’s 21-year drought by bringing home the 1975 European Baseball Championship title.
The Stags legend finished his college coaching career with an impressive 606-472-7 record. Prior to his passing in 2016, Bill Arce was inducted into the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletic Coaches and the American Baseball Coaches Halls of Fame as well as received the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Distinguished Service Award.
mlbblogger 