Report: Angels to Name Up Sam Aldegheri; 1st MLB Pitcher to Be Born, Raised in Italy

Los Angeles Angels prospect Sam Aldegheri is about to be the primary pitcher born and raised in Italy to play in MLB.

The Angels are calling up Aldegheri and count on him to play Friday in opposition to the Seattle Mariners, Jeff Passan reported for ESPN.

Aldegheri, 22, was traded from the Philadelphia Phillies to the Angels on the 2024 deadline. He has recorded 134 strikeouts and a 3.59 ERA in 95.1 innings pitched throughout two minor league ranges to date this season.

The promotion is a serious soar for Aldegheri, who spent many of the season in Excessive-A Jersey Shore. He did, nonetheless, take the following step in his profession by making his Double-A debut this season.

Since his commerce to the Angels system Aldegheri has recorded 25 strikeouts, 9 walks and 10 earned runs in 17.1 innings pitched over 4 begins with Double-A Rocket Metropolis.

The 22-year-old is ranked because the No. 4 pitcher and No. 8 total prospect within the Angels’ pipeline by the MLB prospect rankings.

MLB scouts provided some perception as to why Aldegheri is a top-ten prospect for the Angels:

The left-hander’s profile has been upgraded from a back-end rotation or spot-starter kind to 1 who has an actual likelihood to start out video games within the massive leagues. He is at all times had 4 pitches with first rate really feel for them, and that is continued as his stuff has ticked up a bit this 12 months. His fastball sits within the low 90s and is as much as 95 mph, a high-spin heater that has strong carry within the zone. He has each a slider and a curve, and Aldegheri throws the previous much more than the latter, a strong low-80s breaking ball. The curve is extra of an upper-70s pitch that is bettering. Additional dedication to his changeup has been an enormous cause for his enchancment, as it has been very efficient in opposition to right-handed hitters.

Aldegheri’s stroll charge hasn’t been nice, however he is proven extra really feel for the zone than the numbers would possibly point out, and there was perception within the Phillies group that he’ll be a strong strike-thrower as he will get extra time on the mound. Now will probably be the Angels who can attempt to assist him put the ending touches in his growth as he logs extra innings on the higher ranges.

Aldegheri signed a $210,000 contract with the Phillies in July 2019. After struggling a sprained UCL in his left elbow in 2021 which didn’t necessitate surgical procedure, the pitcher made his Excessive-A debut in 2023. He was then moved to Los Angeles as a part of the Carlos Estévez commerce in July.

Seven gamers born in Italy have ever made their debut in MLB, most just lately Alex Liddi with the Seattle Mariners in 2011, per Baseball Almanac.

The final Italian-born pitcher to enter the league was Marino Pieretti with the Washington Nationals in 1945.

Pieretti grew up close to San Francisco. That units up Aldegheri, who was raised in Verona, to make historical past when he takes the mound for the Angels.

Aldegheri might be trying to mark Italian file books on Friday. The prospect, who advised The Athletic’s Matt Gelb in March that he was “one hundred percent certain” he would make it to the MLB, will get the prospect to audition for additional begins in opposition to a Mariners workforce that has received three of their final 4 video games regardless of a midseason stoop.