SF Giants prospect Joey Marciano joins Team Italy for World Baseball Classic

One of the SF Giants best Triple-A pitchers last season will be playing for Mike Piazza and Team Italy in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

Italy's manager Mike Piazza said, “Benvenuto nella squadra!” to SF Giants left-handed pitching prospect Joey Marciano as the Italian Baseball and Softball Federation announced the 27-year-old southpaw's inclusion on Team Italy's roster for the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Marciano is related to Italian-American boxing legend Rocky Marciano on his father's side.

Team Italy announced 13 players who are under contract to MLB teams, with the most prominent being Los Angeles Angels middle infielder David Fletcher, who finished 17th in the MVP voting in 2020. His brother Dominic, a consensus top-30 prospect in the Arizona Diamondbacks farm system system, is also on Team Italy. Their mother was born in Italy. Previously, Piazza announced commitments from All-Star Toronto Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano and Houston Astros’ designated hitter Trey Mancini.

The Giants took Marciano in the 36th round of the 2017 draft out of Southern Illinois. Marciano was forced to retire in 2019 due to family circumstances, but was able to return to pro baseball the next year. After the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled the 2020 minor-league season, Marciano returned to the minors and has been one of the most consistent relievers in the Giants system.

Over the past two seasons, Marciano has recorded 121 strikeouts in 105.2 innings pitched with a 3.66 ERA between Double-A and Triple-A. Marciano primarily relies on an above-average slider that he is able to locate well alongside a mid-90s fastball that has reached 98 mph at times. After a solid season at Triple-A in 2022, Marciano could be selected in this year's Rule 5 Draft, and if not, is a prime candidate to receive a promotion to MLB at some point in 2023.

Team Italy is currently ranked the seventh-best team in the world, and will be competing in Group A during the World Baseball Classic next March. They will have some stiff competition to escape the group stages, facing Chinese Taipei, Cuba, and the Netherlands. SF Giants pitching prospect Joey Marciano will try to help Italy pull some upsets.