Just three years ago, a scrappy Italian squad surged past the World Baseball Classic group stage after stunning upset wins over Cuba and the Netherlands. Although they fell at the hands of the eventual champion Japan, that performance laid the groundwork for the future of Italian baseball.
As the 2026 WBC quickly approaches, Italy finds themselves in a similar underdog position. Slotted into a group alongside the United States and Mexico, the Azzurri are once again being counted out. But this time, the narrative is different.
The 2026 tournament marks the WBC coaching debut for former Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli, taking over the mantle from Hall of Farmer Mike Piazza. Cervelli has also brought in a familiar face, longtime teammate Jorge Posada, to the coaching staff.
Following the same vision as Piazza, Cervelli is committed to developing the game of baseball in Italy. “We want to be able to have Italian players play and have people in Italy watch the games and see somebody that is from their neighborhood, from their city, from their region,” Cervelli said.
For years, Italian baseball has faced recurring criticisms that the roster was based on Italian Americans rather than homegrown talent. Some critics have mockingly referred to them as “Team New Jersey.”
However, this year may begin to change that narrative. The 2026 roster may begin to bridge MLB and Italian Serie A talent to create a team that’s both competitive and representative of mainland Italy.
In 2024, Verona native Samuel Aldegheri became the first MLB pitcher born, raised and developed in Italy. His path to the big leagues has pioneered a new wave of native Italian talent brewing in the domestic Serie A league. Aldegheri is expected to be Italy’s third starter, unlike past years where many of the Italian-born players were relegated to low-leverage roles.
He isn’t alone. The most intriguing wildcard on this team is Serie A superstar Giaconino Lasaracina. After posting a ridiculous 1.030 OPS over three seasons in Italy and leading the national team to a silver medal in the European Baseball Championship, Lasaracina recently signed a contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. This WBC could serve as his first true audition on the world stage.
Though despite the influx of native talent, the heartbeat of the team remains Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino. Known in his early years as “The Italian Nightmare”, he is coming off his best season yet, crushing 32 home runs and driving in 113 RBIs.
Cervelli has put his full faith in Pasquantino. “‘We’re going to build this around you. This is your team,” the manager told him. Since then, the Royals star has embraced the role of an active recruiter to build this year’s squad. “The guys that are on the fence, he gives them a call,” noted Posada.
This year’s roster may be Italy’s strongest ever, especially with former Cy Young finalist Aaron Nola as the ace of the rotation. The lineup includes underappreciated talents like Dominic Canzone and Jakob Marsee, alongside electric youngsters like Jac Caglianone and Kyle Teel. On top of that, the bullpen is deep with MLB talent like Matt Festa and Ron Marinaccio. That kind of depth is crucial to make a run in such a top-heavy tournament.
According to ESPN, Italy is currently tied for the ninth-best odds to win the tournament, alongside Cuba and Colombia. But for this group, just being there isn’t enough. “It’s not just to participate. It’s to win,” Cervelli insisted.
The Azzurri are no strangers to uphill battles in the WBC. In the 2013 tournament, they faced a similar situation drawing the USA, Mexico and Canada in the same group. After a dramatic victory over Mexico, however, Italy cruised past the group stage. They were ultimately eliminated after narrow losses to finalists Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, but proved that Italy should not be taken lightly.
For Pasquantino the mission is bigger than just a trophy, though. “We look at this like we’re holding the torch for Italy right now,” he said in a recent interview. “The hope would be to build some sort of excitement over there, and they take the torch from us.”
Until then, they’ll continue to play with the signature flair that defines Team Italy. When asked about the team’s unshakable confidence, Pasquantino responded “That’s ‘cause we’re Italian. The vibes are always high.”