MLB European Baseball Academy set to get underway in Pisa

TIRRENIA (Pisa) – The Italian National Olympic Training Center in Tirrenia, the headquarters of the FIBS Academy, will be hosting Major League Baseball’s European Baseball Academy. The best 15- to 19 year-olds in Europe have been hand-selected by Major League Baseball’s scouting bureau.

The nation with the highest level of representation is the Netherlands (13 players), followed by Italy and Czech Republic, which both will be sending eight players to camp. Of special note are the players of Moldova (2), Romania, Poland, Portugal and Lithuania. New Zealand, like Moldova, will have two prospects reporting into camp.

This is the list of Italian players called up:

Davide Anselmi (pitcher Right-1995), Frederico Celli (outfielder-1995), Marten Gasparini (shortstop and centerfielder-1997), Lorenzo Gradali (pitcher Right-1995), Lorenzo Maestri (catcher -1994), Gabriele Quattrini (pitcher -1996), Paolo Taschini (pitcher -1994), Joel Valera (Outfielder -1996).

The MLB staff will be led by Bruce Hurst, Wally Joyner, Dale Murphy, John McLaren, Craig Shipley and Jay Quinn.

Dan Bonanno is the MLB regional director in Italy and is overseeing the project’s logistics.