Team Italy is making a leadership change ahead of the next World Baseball Classic in 2026, naming another former New York catcher as their manager to replace Mike Piazza.
Francisco Cervelli, a 13-year MLB veteran and former New York Yankee, will step into his new role with the Italy Baseball National Team following two stints with the club as a player in 2009 and 2017. Although Cervelli was born in Venezuela, his father is an Italian immigrant who instilled a strong sense of ethnic pride in the catcher.
“It’s an honor,” Cervelli said when the news broke. “I’m humbled and grateful. Playing for Italy was a dream come true. I will work tirelessly to make Italy an elite program.”
Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball (FIBS) president Marco Mazzieri expressed optimism for the future when introducing Cervilli, stating that his appointment as the head of the National Baseball Team was a “well-considered decision, being aware of the need to immediately start a growth process after the disappointing ninth place at the last European Championship.” “Cervelli has all the skills to lead our National Team,” he continued. “In addition to his international experience and technical knowledge, he knows how to establish an excellent relationship with athletes of all ages, motivating them and bringing out the best in each of them. When I proposed this role to him, I was struck by his contagious enthusiasm, his ‘hunger for the field,’ and his determination to bring our movement back to the top.”
Mazzieri later gave praise to former manager Mike Piazza as well, who also played in the Big Apple for the New York Mets. “I’m grateful for what he did as a manager and ambassador. We would have liked to discuss a different role for him in the future, but he wanted to explore new opportunities.”
Cervilli primarily made a name for himself as a defensive catcher in the big leagues but still posted respectable numbers on the offensive side of the plate with a career .268 batting average along with 41 homers and 275 RBIs. The majority of his career was spent on the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Yankees, contributing to a 2009 World Series run for the latter.
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