MLB: Azzurri catcher Francisco Cervelli (Pittsburgh Pirates) has already belted two home runs and four doubles so far since April Francisco Cervelli (Ph Cuni)3, 2017. With a career high of seven homers and 17 doubles during his first year with the Bucs in 2015, Cervelli is on pace to set career-best stats in home runs and extra-base hits in 2017. Having suffered a minor Grade 1 strain of his left oblique after the WBC and during spring training, Team Italy DH Drew Butera (Kansas City Royals) has played in only three games and has had seven at-bats.

Another player nursing an injury with a hamstring strain and a bruised hand is Team Italy center fielder Brandon Nimmo (New York Mets). The Azzurri leadoff hitter is coming off the 10-day DL soon to make his 2017 debut for the Mets. Team Italy second baseman Daniel Descalso (Arizona Diamondbacks) has been a true utility player for the D-Backs as he has been seen defensively in left field, third base, second base and first base. After making his MLB debut last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Rob Segedin started 2017 with Triple-A affiliate Oklahoma City, where he led the Minor Leagues in slugging percentage (.598) and ranked second in OPS (.989) last season.