Team Italy Juniors Roster Revealed for U18 Baseball World Cup
The Team Italy U18 Juniors squad is ready to rumble at the 27th biennial U18 Baseball World Cup, which is gearing up for play at the Port Arthur Stadium and Baseball Central in Thunder Bay
, Ontario, Canada from September 1-10, 2017. The 50-game international competition, which brings in teams from the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Nicaragua, Australia, Japan, Korea, Chinese Taipei and South Africa, will feature some of the world’s best baseball players under the age of 19.
Ever since its roster was revealed, the Team Italy Juniors have been training rigorously in preparation for the U18 World Cup. Some of Italy’s most promising baseball talent from the FIBS Baseball Academy on the team include: pitchers Andrea Bettarini, Davide Novello and Oscar Tucci, catchers Riccardo Bertossi and Lorenzo Morresi, infielders Gabrilele Angioi and Leonardo Seminati (Cincinnati Reds) and outfielders Riccardo Flisi and Andrea Pasotto. Other outstanding players on the Team Italy roster include pitchers Samuel Aldegheri, Tommaso Battioni, Giovanni Bortolamai, Gabriel Dall’Agnese, Marco Pizzolini, and Michele Vassalotti (Milwaukee Brewers), catcher Giulio Da Re, infielders Tommaso Giarola, Daniele Monti, Riccardo Spaolini and outfielder Filippo Daddi.
Coaches Rolando Cretis, Stefano Cappuccini and Gianluca Marenghi as well as conditioning coach Daniele Santolupo join Team Italy Juniors manager John Cortese in their quest to prepare the U18 squad for combat in Canada. If the Azzurri youth prove to be on top of their game, they will execute what they have practiced every day while in a competitive setting and facing international baseball’s finest players. Follow Team Italy in Thunder Bay on social media using the hashtag #U18WorldCup. Forza #Italia!
by Roberto Angotti
