Italian-born Samuel Aldegheri will become the second-ever Italian-born and raised MLB player and the first Italian-born and raised MLB pitcher. The 22-year-old left-hander is being called up by the Angels from their Double-A affiliate and is reported to be starting on Friday against the Seattle Mariners.
Aldegheri was born in Verona, Italy, in 2001. He grew up there and started pitching for Parma Celina in the Italian Serie A baseball league at 17 and 18. He played for them over the course of two seasons from 2019-2020.
In July 2019, Aldegheri signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. He first played in the MiLB with the Clearwater Threshers from the FCL Phillies in 2021 and has accumulated a career 3.60 ERA in the minor leagues.
He quickly rose through the Phillies’ minor league system, making it to Double-A in 2024 for the Reading Fightin’ Phillies and being ranked 23rd on the Phillies’ top prospect list.
“Samuel comes from a great family and is a hard-working kid, and with the help of the Italian American Baseball Foundation, we will continue to make strides in Italy,” said Phillies international scouting director Sal Agostinelli.
He was dealt with fellow pitching prospect George Klassen at the deadline to the Los Angeles Angels as part of the trade that sent All-Star closer Carlos Eatevez to Philadelphia.
Now, Aldegheri is scheduled to join former Seattle Mariner Alex Liddi as only the second Italian-born player to compete in Major League Baseball. He joins a rebuilding big league club, the 55-79 Angels, sitting in last place in the American League West. The Angels crux for a long time has been consistent pitching, and Aldegheri looks to bring his four-pitch arsenal to their starting rotation for the foreseeable future.
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Photo Credit: Samuel Aldegheri #74 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during the 2024 Spring Breakout Game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Detroit Tigers at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium on Saturday, March 16, 2024 in Lakeland, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
