World Baseball Classic: Italy manager Mike Piazza talks coaching staff, players on MLB Network
The Hall of Famer, who represented Italy as a player in the inaugural edition in 2006, said that his priority has been putting together the best coaching staff possible.
Italian National Team manager Mike Piazza recently spoke about his coaching staff and roster for the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
"First I wanted to build a great coaching staff," said Piazza during an interview with the MLB Network. "Because of the pandemic, we had a little more time to put together some great guys."
Piazza's coaching staff will include Blake Butera, a minor league manager with the Tampa Bay Rays who earned 2021 Manager of the Year honours at the Class A level, Former Italy center fielder Chris DeNorfia, who is serving as a Double-A manager for the Colorado Rockies, former Italy shortstop Jack Santora, a minor league coach for the Los Angeles Angels, and Bobby Cramer, the Italian Federation (FIBS) pitching coordinator.
Piazza also spoke about the roster. Despite describing the situation as "fluid", Piazza mentioned three MLB players who have committed: Baltimore Orioles slugger Trey Mancini, Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Jared Romano and Los Angeles Angels utility infielder David Fletcher, whose mother was born in Italy.
World No. 17 Italy will compete from 9 to 13 March 2023 in group A and face No. 2 Chinese Taipei, No. 8 Netherlands, No. 9 Cuba and a team still to be qualified. The upcoming World Baseball Classic Qualifiers are scheduled in Regensburg, Germany, and Panama City, Panama.
