Alberto Mineo on Italy’s World Baseball Classic 2025 Preparation & Team Outlook
Italy’s Mineo Emphasizes Passion and Preparation Ahead of World Baseball Classic
Alberto Mineo, captain of the Italian national baseball team, highlighted the importance of passion and diligent preparation as Italy gears up for the opening game of the World Baseball Classic against Brazil in Houston, Texas. Mineo addressed the media in a video conference, discussing the team’s Early Camp and expectations for the tournament.
Responding to questions from journalists, including those from OA Sport, Mineo stated, “Wearing the national team jersey is always a responsibility and an honor. The key is always passion, then you have to work hard, believe in it and give 100%. Francisco [Cervelli] is transmitting his ideas to us, we are all competitive and we don’t want to stop.”
Mineo also reflected on the team’s recent success, specifically the second-place finish at the European Championships. “The results help to involve more and more young people and spread the culture of baseball, so we must always aim high,” he said.
The upcoming World Baseball Classic will feature a roster led by manager Francisco Cervelli, with a significant number of Italian-American players currently playing in Major League Baseball. However, Mineo emphasized the importance of integrating all players, including Veronese pitcher Samuel Aldegheri, born in . “I’ve played with Pasquantino and Mastrobuoni, I’ve studied the others by watching their games. They are among the best in the world, they are guys who want to compete and I believe we will all be on the same wavelength for that reason. I will have a lot to learn from everyone. Sam Aldegheri on the mound and me catching against the United States? That would be the icing on the cake, but let’s think about one game at a time.”
Mineo also spoke enthusiastically about the opportunity to work with Jorge Posada, a former New York Yankee and current member of Italy’s coaching staff. “Having him with us is wonderful. He presented himself with great availability, from the first day he gave us advice, followed us to see if we could put it into practice and helped us in every way. He is doing that with everyone. You can feel all the passion he puts into it.”
The Italian team is currently participating in the Early Camp as a crucial step in their preparation for the World Baseball Classic. The camp provides an opportunity for Cervelli to assess players and build team chemistry before Spring Training in Phoenix. According to a press release from , Cervelli has already held online meetings with Major League players to begin the process of team building.
Italy will also be competing in events like Haarlem Week and the Premier12 qualifiers, with an eye toward qualifying for the Olympics. Cervelli expressed his hope to see young players from the Early Camp develop into future stars for the national team. The team is also preparing for the Baseball European Championship, which Italy will co-host with the Netherlands and Belgium from to .
The roster for the training camp in Grosseto, announced on , included 32 players, six of whom are former Minor League Baseball players, and five alumni of the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup. Manager Cervelli’s staff includes pitching coaches Alessandro Maestri and Roberto Corradini, and assistant coaches Claudio Biagini, Michele Gerali, Alberto D’Auria, Christian Gnudi and Tomas Bison.