Former Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti was named general manager for Team Italy’s World Baseball Classic (WBC) efforts in 2026. It was announced at the annual CON-X event held by the Federation of Italian Baseball and Softball (FIBS) in Rimini, Italy.
Colletti, a proud Italian American from Chicago, has over four decades of front-office experience. Aside from his time running the Dodgers, he was also an assistant general manager with the San Franciso Giants and began his career in public relations with the Chicago Cubs. During his tenure with the Dodgers (2005-2014), Colletti had the highest winning percentage of any general manager in the National League.
“I consider this opportunity one of the most wonderful honors of my career,” he said in a statement. “It is rare for a person to have the fortune to work in the fantastic sport of baseball for three of the most iconic franchises in Major League Baseball. But it is even more amazing when the opportunity arises to represent Italy, the country of my grandparents, and contribute to increasing the popularity of the game in the homeland of my family. I will be forever deeply grateful to Marco Mazzieri, and I really look forward to working with him and our staff to build a team that MLB and Italy can be very proud of.”
This is an important move for two specific reasons: it establishes that new FIBS President Marco Mazzieri is putting the most competent and experienced people in place at a critical time prior to the next WBC, and it shows Mazzieri’s depth in relationships that span baseball at the highest levels. Colletti should be a veteran presence who can manage operations and logistics with Major League Baseball, FIBS, and WBC officials, and handle roster management with pro players in Italy and the United States.
“Ned is above all a friend of Italy,” Mazzieri said. “A name that is a guarantee for all those who work in baseball, for the players who will receive an invitation from him to make themselves available for the Italian team, and for the clubs that, thanks to his commitment, we hope will more willingly grant athletes to our project. Ned is an incalculable added value for our team, which has an extremely challenging, yet exciting path ahead. I am truly grateful to him for this commitment he has made with the National team.
FIBS also made news this week announcing Francisco Cervelli as its new national team manager.
Italy opens the 2026 WBC in Houston, Texas, competing in Pool B with the United States, Mexico, and Great Britain in March 2026.
Photo Credit: Federation of Italian Baseball and Softball
