There are still 15 months to go until the next World Baseball Classic in 2026, but Team Italy isn¡¯t resting. When the ¡°Azzurri¡± next take the field, there will be a new manager in the dugout as the Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball (FIBS) announced on Friday that former big league catcher Francisco Cervelli is replacing Mike Piazza as the team¡¯s skipper.

Though born in Venezuela, Cervelli¡¯s father was from Italy, allowing the 13-year big league veteran to suit up for the Italian national team at the 2009 and 2017 World Baseball Classic. Cervelli went 5-for-23 with two doubles and an RBI while lining up at catcher during the two tournaments.

¡°It's an honor to play this role,¡± Cervelli said when the news was announced. ¡°Ready to work to lead this team and inspire future generations of players.¡±

The change comes after Hall of Famer Mike Piazza¡¯s contract expired at the end of December. Though new FIBS president Marco Mazzieri expressed an interest in continuing to work in some capacity with Piazza, who led the team to the quarterfinals at the 2023 tournament before losing to the eventual champions Japan, Mazzieri also pointed to the nation¡¯s 9th-place finish at the 2023 European Championship ¨C the first time they¡¯ve missed out on a medal since 2007 ¨C as one of the reasons to make the switch.

¡°The appointment of Francisco Cervelli 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,¡± Mazzieri said. ¡°Cervelli has all the skills to lead our National Team. 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.¡±

Cervelli has already been working closely with Mazzieri, who managed the Italian national team at the 2013 and ¡®17 tournaments and led a European All-Star team at last year¡¯s Global Games exhibition in Tokyo, helping open a youth academy in Castiglione della Pescaia this past fall.

As Cervelli and Mazzieri focus on developing the next wave of Italian prospects ¨C perhaps following in the footsteps of Samuel Aldegheri, who became the first Italian-born-and-developed pitcher in big league history last year ¨C it will be up to new general manager Ned Colletti to help piece together the rest of the squad.

Colletti is a true baseball lifer. He began his career in public relations with the Cubs in 1982, eventually working his way up to becoming the assistant general manager of the Giants in the ¡®90s before working as the GM of the Dodgers from 2006-2014 ¨C a trajectory rarely seen in the game these days. Now, he¡¯ll add a new item to the resume as he looks to help Italy improve upon its quarterfinals finish at the next World Baseball Classic.

"I consider this opportunity one of the most wonderful honors of my career,¡± Colletti said. ¡°It is rare for a person to have the fortune to work in the fantastic sport of baseball for three of the most iconic franchises in Major League Baseball. But it is even more amazing when the opportunity arises to represent Italy, the country of my grandparents, and contribute to increasing the popularity of the game in the homeland of my family.¡±