Vaccaro: Samuel Aldegheri is Model of Inspiration for Next Generation of Italian Ball Players

After Samuel Aldegheri’s historic MLB debut last night, the first by an Italian-born, raised, and developed pitcher, two things are abundantly clear: he is now a model of inspiration for Italian players of all ages, and he worked against unique odds, coming from Verona in Northern Italy, to make his dream a reality. 

Aldegheri pitched 5 innings, allowed 7 runs (2 earned), and struck out 3 batters in his debut. While the Angels are focused on performance and numbers, his home country is singularly proud of this incredible feat of getting to the majors. Their boy made it.

“I’m happy for myself and for my family, but I’m happy for my country and for the kids in Italy who might feel like they are nobody, but I just showed them anyone can make it,” he told MLB.com after the game. “They have to believe in their dreams and chase them.”

Palazzolo Salvo was following the news with his son Filippo, a young baseball player in Italy. It was an affirmation that Filippo and his young teammates could reach the pinnacle of the game.

“The good news that an Italian like Samuel has been chosen to play for an MLB team fills the heart with pride and inspires many young talents, who are more motivated to try to achieve their goal, their dream,” said Salvo. “They see through him perhaps their dream come true.

Aldegehri is the first Italian-born and raised player in the big leagues since Alex Liddi played with Seattle in 2011-2013. Before that, you have to look at Italian-born – but not raised – Marino Pieretti, who pitched in 194 games between Washington, Chicago, and Cleveland and finished his career in 1950.

With several family and friends at the ballpark, who traveled nearly 6,000 miles from Italy to Anaheim, Aldegheri had an eventful first inning where Zach Neto made a costly two-out error. While he’ll likely never forget the stress of getting out of that inning, he will also never forget striking out All-Star Julio Rodriguez for his first big league punch out. 

Samuele Bruno (r.), a college ball player, shares a moment with fellow Italian Samuel Aldegheri after his debut.

Italian native Samuele Bruno, a friend of Aldegheri and a sophomore outfielder at the College of the Desert in Palm Desert, California, was at the game to show support. He also greeted his friend on the field after the game to share in the moment. Bruno remembers a conversation at the Olympic Center in Rome a few years ago that makes Friday’s moment even more special.

“He looked at me and told me, ‘I’ll get to MLB; I’m doing it for my family above all,’” Bruno said. “I remember thinking this guy has determination and talent. It’s a movie….for us as Italians, it means hope. We hope to believe that a dream comes true if you believe it and work hard for it. Samuel deserves it!”

You would hope all of Italy was tuned in to Apple TV+ to watch the uniquely significant moment in Italian history. The truth is that baseball is a small niche in Italy and still needs a shot in the arm to garner national attention. Even Aldegheri’s historic debut was only enough to capture the local newspapers, websites, and a smattering of baseball pages on social media. It’s a start. It could begin a fruitful period if other scouts like Sal Agostinelli, the international scouting director from the Phillies who spotted Aldegheri, head to Italy and find future gems. 

Make no mistake, Aldegheri, a lefty who throws in the low ‘90s, got himself to the majors. He had support from the Phillies, and his path was expedited after being traded to the Angels for George Klassen this year. With a 3.59 ERA and 134 strikeouts between High-A and Double-A, Aldegheri was building toward this moment all year.

Three other distinct observations caught my attention: last night, MLB.com was draped with a large image of Aldegheri on top of an Italian flag. If that’s not critical marketing for Italian baseball, nothing is. Angels broadcaster and Italian American Wayne Randazzo captured the moment perfectly as he eluded to Aldgeheri’s journey from Verona, the home of Romeo and Juliet. As usual, MLB Network correspondent Jon Morosi provided perfect context on the meaning of Aldegheri’s feat.

“This is a massively important day in Italian sports history,” he said in a message to the Italian American Baseball Foundation, a non-profit that has a mission of growing baseball in Italy. “Samuel Aldegheri has earned his promotion to the majors through years of dedicated work as an amateur in Italy and professional in the United States. Samuel’s path is certain to inspire young Italians to pursue their own baseball dreams, thus changing the sport in Europe for the better.”

Chris R. Vaccaro is a senior editorial advisor for the World Baseball Network and a board trustee of the Italian American Baseball Foundation.

(Main photo of Aldegheri is from Getty Images)