The Italian American Baseball Foundation has named Alessandro Maestri its 2026 Ambassador Award honoree, recognizing his international baseball career and contributions to Italian baseball’s growth and visibility. Maestri will be honored at IABF’s 10th Anniversary Gala on December 10.
From Cesena, Italy, to the Chicago Cubs organization and professional baseball in Japan, Maestri built a career that carried Italian baseball across borders. He became the first European-raised pitcher to play Japanese professional baseball and represented Italy in multiple World Baseball Classics.
