SCOTTSDALE – The approach to Taichung (Taiwan) and the 2023 World Baseball Classic for the Italia Baseball Team starts from the sports center of Notre Dame Preparatory High School in Scottsdale (Arizona).

A part of Team Azzurri at the Classic, together with some young prospects leaving on Wednesday February 22nd, will gather in Scottsdale until March 1st for a pre-season camp in anticipation of the team’s departure towards the world event.

Among the players called up to the senior national team is also the young Italian-Canadian talent Alessandro Volpe, who shone in the Under 18 national team during the World Cup last year.

Mike Piazza organized the gathering with the dual purpose of allowing players not involved in Spring Training to work and to get some of the young players of the Azzurri’s tour to take the field with them, several of whom are engaged at a pro or college level overseas. In fact, the Classic coaches Chris Denorfia, Jack Santora, Mike Borzello, Jason Simontacchi and Michele Gerali will be on the Roskos Family Field, together with the coordinator of the blue youth teams Gianguido Poma and the pitching coach Rolando Cretis.

\The World Baseball Classic announced through a special broadcast on the MLB Network the rosters of the 20 teams participating in the world tournament which will begin on March 8 and end on March 21 in Miami (United States). Italia Baseball is included in group A together with Cuba, China Taipei, Panama and the Kingdom of the Netherlands and takes on the challenge with a roster that includes a mix of emerging young players, players seeking redemption and professional baseball veterans, all ready to best honor their Italian origins.

In the photo above, the Italian-Canadian Alessandro Volpe