The two Team Italy standouts will attend the Saitama Seibu Lions Fall Camp from Nov. 1-7, gaining valuable experience within Japan’s professional baseball system.

Two of Italy’s brightest young pitching prospects are taking their talents to Japan, opening an exciting international development opportunity through a partnership between the Italian Baseball and Softball Federation (FIBS) and the Saitama Seibu Lions.

Takuma Lupo of Fiorentina Baseball and Mattia Muscio of Health and Performance have been selected by the Japanese professional organization to participate in the 2026 Saitama Seibu Lions Fall Camp, running Nov. 1-7. Both pitchers helped lead Italy to the U18 European Championship in Trieste last July, earning an opportunity to develop their skills alongside one of Japan’s professional organizations.

Lupo and Muscio will be accompanied by Alessandro Maestri, pitching coach for Italy’s Senior Elite national team, and Lorenzo Pivirotto, pitching coach for the Italian U15 national team.

Maestri brings valuable international experience, having spent several seasons playing professional baseball in Japan. His familiarity with the country's baseball culture and development system will provide an important resource for the two young pitchers throughout the camp.

Pivirotto also has experience with Japanese baseball development. He previously participated in a weeklong coaching internship alongside Francesco Cavazzini at Konan High School in Naha, Okinawa, the 2010 Summer Koshien champion.

The opportunity stems from an agreement reached during the 2025 U18 Baseball World Cup between FIBS and the Saitama Seibu Lions. The collaboration was facilitated with the support of Marco Massetani, Italy's consular correspondent in Okinawa, and reflects the federation's commitment to creating international development opportunities for its young players and coaching staff.

Muscio enters the opportunity following an impressive stretch of performances with Italy's U18 national team.

During the 2026 U18 European Championship, the left-hander earned the victory in an 11-0 shutout against Israel on July 13, recording four innings, allowing four hits and striking out eight while issuing two walks.

Five days later, Muscio returned to the mound for the semifinal against the Netherlands, pitching 4 1/3 innings and surrendering three runs on five hits. He recorded nine strikeouts and two walks.

His international experience also includes the 2025 U18 Baseball World Cup in Okinawa, Japan, where he earned a victory against China. Muscio worked 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out nine and issuing two walks.

More recently, the young left-hander traveled to Arizona after earning a selection to represent the MLB World Select Team during the 2026 MLB College Showcase Tour, where he pitched against prospects from the Kansas City Royals organization.

Lupo joins Muscio as another promising arm in Italy's developing pitching pipeline. Representing Fiorentina Baseball, he helped the Azzurri capture the 2026 U18 European Championship in Trieste.

His selection for the Seibu Lions Fall Camp provides another opportunity to gain international experience, work alongside professional coaches and further develop his abilities within a different baseball environment.

The collaboration between FIBS and the Saitama Seibu Lions represents an important step in strengthening the relationship between Italian and Japanese baseball. For Lupo and Muscio, the opportunity extends beyond a week of training, offering firsthand exposure to Japan's highly regarded baseball development system.

Fresh off their European championship success, the two Italian pitchers now have an opportunity to build on that achievement while learning from a different baseball culture. Their experience in Japan could prove valuable as they continue developing their careers and representing the next generation of Italian baseball talent.