Colabello returns to Team Italy in 2017 WBC while competing for Indians roster spot

Chris Colabello, the Team Italy clean-up hitter who lived up to his title by finishing the 2013 World Baseball Classic (WBC) with a .333 batting average, seven RBI and a 1.035 on-base plus slugging percentage in 18 at-bats, is back stronger than ever. With aspirations of making Cleveland’s 2017 Opening Day roster after signing a Minor League contract and showing his pop at Indians Spring Training, the 33-year-old Italian American slugger leaves the Tribe camp on March 5th to join Team Italy in his second WBC appearance playing for the Azzurri. Facing Latin American powerhouses Mexico, Venezuela and Puerto Rico, Team Italy is once again the underdog when the extremely competitive WBC Pool D action begins on March 9, 2017 at Estadio de Beisbol Charros de Jalisco in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Colabello is no stranger south of the U.S. border. He played for Algodoneros de Guasave in the Mexican Pacific League after his 2012 season with Twins Double-A affiliate New Britain. During his 57 games in Mexico, he absolutely raked at the plate hitting .332 with 13 doubles, 17 home runs and 44 RBI. Chris hopes to regain some of his magical form on Mexican turf to help Team Italy advance to the second round of play in San Diego. The Massachusetts native thrives in pressure situations and relishes the opportunity to represent his Italian heritage by playing for Team Italy. In fact, Colabello’s strong performance in the 2013 WBC catapulted the Azzurri into the second round of competition in Miami. On March 8, 2013 at Chase Field in Phoenix against a favored Canada squad, he was named Chevrolet Player of the Game after going 4-for-5 with a home run, four RBI and three runs scored, which resulted in Team Italy clinching a spot to advance with Team USA to round two. While at Marlins Park, the Italians nearly posted an upset over 2013 WBC Champion Dominican Republic when Colabello clubbed a three-run bomb that rivaled any one of Giancarlo Stanton’s many web gems.

Colabello’s ascent to the Major Leagues was not an easy climb. After spending seven seasons in the Can-Am Independent League, he was signed by the Minnesota Twins as a free agent on February 2, 2012. Chris spent his first Minor League season at Double-A New Britain, where he put together a .284 batting average with 19 home runs and 98 RBI. Colabello made a strong case to be on the 2013 Twins Opening Day Roster after hitting .294 with three RBI in nine Spring Training games for Minnesota. Instead, he began the season at Triple-A Rochester, where he was named 2013 Topps International League Player of the Year after leading the Red Wings in batting average (.352), hits (119), doubles (25), home runs (24) and RBI (76). Chris made his MLB debut with Minnesota on August 21, 2013. He played in 59 games for the 2014 Twins before being claimed off waivers by Toronto on December 8, 2014.

Playing at Triple-A Buffalo in the 2015 season, Colabello hit .337 with five home runs and 18 RBI in April and won the International League Player of the Month award. His stellar performance earned him an MLB call-up to Toronto on May 5, 2015. The Blue Jays outfielder and first baseman led the team in hitting during the 25 games he played in May. In his first 95 plate appearances, Colabello had a .368 batting average with four home runs, seven doubles, eight walks, 14 RBI and 15 runs scored. In his best MLB season with Toronto in 2015, he hit .321 with 15 homers and 54 RBI in 101 games. He was instrumental in advancing the Blue Jays to the playoffs for the franchise's first time since 1993. As Toronto's starting first baseman in 10 of 11 postseason games in 2015, Colabello came up big in pressure situations. In Game 5 of the American League Championship Series, Chris belted a home run off Royals’ starter Edinson Volquez to help force a Game 6 against Kansas City. Despite his desire to return for an encore performance in 2016, Chris only played in 10 games for the 2016 Blue Jays before being sent down to Triple-A Buffalo.

Determined now more than ever to make a comeback to MLB, Colabello signed a Minor League contract in December 2016 with the Cleveland Indians. With an invitation to Spring Training in Goodyear, Arizona, Chris is currently competing for a spot on Terry Francona's Tribe. Colabello has admired the Italian American manager since his collegiate playing days. He was a junior at Massachusett's Assumption College when Francona helped the Red Sox end their 86-year championship drought by winning the 2004 World Series. Colabello was a big fan of the team and its manager, Terry Francona, then and is even more so today. "I've always been a Tito guy. He did something that had not been done in Boston in a long time. It speaks volumes about him as a manager to take two franchises with storied histories to the World Series,” Colabello said “I just love the way he goes about his business. I love his passion for the game. I always thought it would be great to play for him someday.”

Francona and Team Italy manager Marco Mazzieri share the same passion for the game. Colabello looks up to both skippers for inspiration to be the best player he can be. Chris said, “Marco Mazzieri is the leader of our group. It’s pretty amazing playing for him because I think a line I remember hearing was ‘Attitude reflects leadership.’ So it’s obviously a testament to him and his ability to teach the game and help guide us…”

by Roberto Angotti