TEMPE, Ariz. – With two weeks remaining in spring training before the start of the 2025 Major League Baseball season, World Baseball Network visited the Cactus League to interview Italian-born left-hander Samuel Aldegheri about his expectations for the upcoming season and the 2026 World Baseball Classic with the Italian national team.
“It’s been a dream of mine since I was a young kid watching the 2017 WBC and seeing the talent that was on that team, even though falling short to Venezuela in the one-game playoff,” Aldegheri said to WBN. “This time around I’m excited to represent my country and looking forward to taking the field with them for next March.”
The 23-year-old from Verona, Italy, announced his commitment to Italy’s 2026 WBC roster on January 26 during an appearance on the Growing Up Italian podcast.
Italy will compete in Pool B at the 2026 WBC from March 6 to 11 at Daikin Park in Houston, facing Mexico, Great Britain, the United States, and a to-be-determined qualifier. Former MLB catcher and 2009 World Series champion Francisco Cervelli will manage the team. Tournament and MLB officials must still assign Colombia, Brazil, Nicaragua, and Chinese Taipei a pool.
“I’m happy that Cervelli can lead us to glory this time around alongside his experience with coaching in Italy at the academy level and him playing in the bigs,” Aldegheri said. “I’ve been in communication with him these past few months about my improvements with my mechanics alongside Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball president Marco Mazzieri about all my tactics I can work on during the 2025 season.”
Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball (FIBS) president Marco Mazzieri will evaluate the Italian national team over the next few months as he builds a roster for the 2026 WBC. The 2025 Serie A1 season begins on April 11, and Italy is set to send a team to the 2026 Caribbean Series in Caracas, Venezuela, alongside the Japan Breeze, South Korea, Cuba, and the winter league champions from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Venezuela, who will compete before the start of MLB spring training.
Italy’s WBC roster will also include most players signed with MLB organizations, including minor leaguers.
FIBS has yet to announce whether it will send an all-star team to the Caribbean Series or the winner of the 2025 Serie A1 season.
Samuel Aldegheri’s Journey to the Majors
Aldegheri is the second Italian-born player to reach Major League Baseball, following Alex Liddi, who debuted with the Seattle Mariners on September 7, 2011. Liddi recently retired from professional baseball after playing in Baseball United’s three-game series in the United Arab Emirates with the Mid-East Falcons.
“Italy is growing in baseball,” Aldegheri said. “I am excited to do my part and hopefully more people have a big following with our country developing in the sport during these next few years with the improvements we are trying to accomplish from FIBS.”
Aldegheri played in the Italian Baseball League Serie A1 Division for Parma Clima, appearing in nine games with one start from 2019-20. He signed with the Philadelphia Phillies during the international signing period on July 2, 2019, for a $210,000 bonus.
With the 2020 minor league season canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Aldegheri remained in Italy, as MLB organizations operated only alternate-site workouts.
In two seasons with Parma Clima, Aldegheri went 2-0 with a 4.66 ERA, pitching 9.2 innings while allowing nine hits, five earned runs, and nine walks and striking out 13. He did not allow a home run before making his professional debut in the United States in 2021.
Aldegheri split his first professional season in 2021 between the Rookie Complex League and Low-A Clearwater, posting a 1-1 record with a 2.57 ERA in eight appearances, including three starts. He pitched 21 innings, allowing 17 hits, six earned runs, 10 walks, and 32 strikeouts with a 1.286 WHIP before landing on the 7-day injured list on August 20 due to a left elbow injury, which sidelined him for the rest of the season.
Aldegheri began the 2022 season on the 60-day injured list with the Phillies before being activated for rehab assignments at the Florida Complex League on July 16.
That season, he posted a 1.46 ERA over 12.1 innings in eight appearances, including four starts, allowing nine hits, two earned runs, and seven walks, and striking out 17.
In 2023, Aldegheri split time between Low-A Clearwater and High-A Jersey Shore, appearing in 20 games with 19 starts. He finished with a 4-1 record and a 4.20 ERA, pitching 83.2 innings while allowing 78 hits, 39 earned runs, nine home runs, 35 walks, and 99 strikeouts with a 1.351 WHIP.