Francisco Cervelli: The Venezuelan-born manager making history with Team Italy

“If you can’t picture it, it won’t happen.”

That’s the philosophy shared by Francisco Cervelli, manager of one of the biggest surprises of the World Baseball Classic - Team Italy.

Cervelli, the orchestrator behind the tournament’s “dark horse,” says his approach follows what he calls the Italian Way: relentless offense and constant pressure. So far, it has Italy on the verge of their first-ever semifinal appearance in the tournament.

The Azzurri are boasting a perfect 5-0 record, with wins over Brazil, Great Britain, the United States, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, and Cervelli says the formula has been simple: timely hitting and strong pitching.

The former catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates built that identity. Born in Valencia, Venezuela, a country with deep baseball roots, Cervelli has become the architect of Italy’s current roster. After a 13-season career in Major League Baseball, Cervelli chose to move into the dugout. He brought the competitive culture of MLB into a national team largely made up of Italian-Americans. His story blends migration, heritage, and a deep connection to the homeland of his grandparents.

Long before dreaming of the major leagues or representing Italy, Cervelli was part of a larger family story. His grandparents were among the many Italians who crossed the Atlantic after the World War II to start a new life in Venezuela. They settled in Caracas, raised a family, and built a household of Latin Americans with a strong Italian identity.

That background explains Cervelli’s recent mission. “My job is to bring more Italians - players born in Italy - so they can be part of the World Baseball Classic.”

His professional career began in the United States’ minor league system, and in 2003 he signed as an international prospect with the New York Yankees, launching what would become a unique baseball journey. In 2017, Cervelli represented Italy as a player in the World Baseball Classic, competing in Group D, including a dramatic 11-10 loss to Venezuela.

Now he finds himself on the opposite side of that matchup.

Italy is set to face Venezuela again, but this time Cervelli will be in the dugout as manager of the Azzurri. And when asked whether his heart might lean toward his birth country, his answer was clear:

“I’m Italian. There’s no other way. This is my job, and this is the jersey I wear now.”

The brain behind Italy’s project

Cervelli took over as Italy’s manager in January 2025, following the long tenure of Hall of Famer Mike Piazza. Since then, he has pushed forward a project designed to revitalize baseball in a country where soccer dominates the sports landscape.

The plan includes modernizing the national program, incorporating technology and analytics, and preparing thoroughly for opposing hitters. The broader vision behind Italy’s rise began with Marco Mazzieri, president of the Italian Baseball Federation and a former national team manager who once mentored Cervelli.

Charismatic and multilingual - he speaks Spanish, Italian, and English - Cervelli sees the current success as only the beginning of a long-term project, strengthening baseball in Italy and proving that the Azzurri can compete with the world’s traditional powers. Still, he isn’t getting ahead of himself.

“I don’t know,” he said with a smile when asked about his legacy. “There are already plenty of statues in Italy. Why would they need mine? Those statues are beautiful to take photos with. I don’t want one.”

“What I want is what I told my players last year: The Italian Way.”

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