Team Italy U23 baseball manager Alberto D’Auria along with pitching coach Rolando Cretis and coaches Gianmario Costa, Federico Bassi, Alessandro Bortolomai and Christian Gnudi have the daunting task of putting together a squad that will win the inaugural U23 European Baseball Championship on its home turf in Verona and San Martino Buon Albergo from August 24-28, 2021.
The newly-created U23 baseball division will serve as useful training ground for those athletes graduating from the U18 ranks with aspirations of competing against the elite players in the Team Italy Seniors program. It was the desire of the late and great Azzurri baseball coordinator Bill Holmberg that Team Italy Seniors manager Mike Piazza have the opportunity to integrate the younger players with those having more experience to help in the growth and development of the game in Italy.
National Baseball Hall of Famer Mike Piazza plans on working closely with newly-appointed Team Italy U18 manager Francesco Aluffi, bench coach John Cortese, pitching coach Luis Hernandez as well as coaches Stefano Cappuccini and Davide Sartini. It is a very important year for both the Team Italy Seniors and U18 Juniors as both squads hope to reclaim European Baseball Championship titles on Italian soil this summer. Forza #Italia!
by Roberto Angotti
