'Anyone can make it': Aldegheri makes history for Italy in debut

ANAHEIM -- Growing up in the small town of San Martino Buon Albergo in Verona, Italy, Samuel Aldegheri had big dreams about a sport that wasn’t commonly played in his native country.

His main connection to baseball was watching videos of Clayton Kershaw, and he was fortunate to have a field near his home and an older brother, Mattias, to serve as his baseball mentor. And after an unusual road to the Majors from Europe, he made history on Aug. 30.

With his first-pitch strike to J.P. Crawford for a flyout to center field opening Friday’s game against the Mariners, he became the first pitcher born and raised in Italy to reach the Majors. He allowed seven runs (two earned) over five innings in a 9-5 loss in the series opener at Angel Stadium but he was proud to reach his goal and be an inspiration for those in Italy.

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“I’m happy for myself and for my family, but I’m happy for my country and for the kids in Italy who might feel like they are nobody, but I just showed them anyone can make it,” Aldegheri said. “They have to believe in their dreams and chase them.”

Aldegheri, ranked as the Angels' No. 8 prospect, was signed as an amateur free agent by the Phillies for $210,000 in July 2019 before being acquired by the Halos in the trade that sent closer Carlos Estévez to Philadelphia.

Aldegheri, 22, had a rough initial introduction to the Majors, allowing five unearned runs in the first after a two-out error from Zach Neto. But he settled down to get through five frames. He struck out three, including Julio Rodríguez looking for his first career punchout to end the first. His family was there to see it, as they arrived after the game’s second out.

“I had a little bit of a hard time in the first inning, but I felt like I bounced back pretty good, so I’m happy,” he said. “But the last 24 hours have been crazy for me. My family jumped on the first flight last night. I didn’t get to see them before the game, but I did after, so it was emotional.”

The last Italian-born pitcher to make it to the Majors was Marino Pieretti, who appeared in 194 games with Washington, Chicago (AL) and Cleveland, in a career that ended in 1950. But he also wasn’t raised in Italy, so it’s a special moment for Aldegheri, who earned the promotion from Double-A Rocket City. The last position player from Italy to reach the Majors was Alex Liddi, an infielder who played in 61 games with the Mariners from 2011-13.

Angels manager Ron Washington said was still learning about Aldegheri at the time of the pitcher's debut, because the organization acquired him a month before his debut.

Washington said he hopes Aldegheri’s path to the Majors inspires others in Italy and around the world to play baseball.

“No doubt,” Washington said. “I've spent some time in Italy doing baseball clinics and they're baseball-starved over there. So I think after tonight, there are going to be some more viewers from Italy."

Aldegheri has posted a combined 3.59 ERA with 134 strikeouts, 41 walks and just three homers allowed in 95 1/3 innings across High-A and Double-A this year. He was acquired along with hard-throwing right-hander George Klassen, who is ranked as the club’s No. 3 prospect.

Aldegheri has a classic lefty profile with a fastball that mostly sits in the low 90s along with a slider, curveball and changeup. He has the pitch mix to remain a starter, as he’s been able to rack up big strikeout numbers in the Minors while limiting homers. The 6-foot-1, 180-pounder missed most of the 2022 season with shoulder soreness, but he has been healthy over the past two years.

Aldegheri is the latest Angels youngster to make an early debut, joining others who got to the Majors in a hurry. It’s been part of a strategy from general manager Perry Minasian, who signed a two-year extension on Aug. 22.

“There’s more young kids coming,” Washington said. “But I thought he did a good job and it would’ve been a different story if we made a play behind him in the first. But he got us through five and made some adjustments.”