Awards

Mike Piazza & Team Italy

• Baseball Hall of Famer
• Manager of Team Italy
• Piazza and Team Italy were recognized in advance of the 2023 World Baseball Classic

Mike Pagliarulo

• Pagiliarulo spent 11 years in the big leagues between the Yankees, Padres, Twins, Orioles, and Rangers and one season playing in Japan
• Drafted by the Yankees in the sixth round out of the University of Miami
• Won World Series with the Twins in 1991 as the team’s starting third baseman
• Pags later worked as a hitting coach for the Miami Marlin
• Currently serving as a special assistant to the GM of the Washington Nationals.

Jim Small

• Senior Vice President of International at Major League Baseball
• Deep Italian roots whose family changed their last name from Piccolo at Ellis Island
• Responsible for growing MLB’s brand and development globally, planning MLB’s international play schedule, and generating new opportunities to grow the sport’s popularity internationally
• Oversees the World Baseball Classic

Michael Kay

• Kay is best known as the play-by-play broadcaster of the Yankees and host of CenterStage on the YES Network
• Host of The Michael Kay Show on ESPN Radio.
• New York native
• Italian on his mother’s side

Vito Friscia

• Member of Team Italy
• Triple A prospect of Philadelphia Phillies
• Product of Hofstra University
• Played in 2021 European Championship where he hit three home runs in matches against Austria (grand slam), Croatia and Israel

Marco Landi

• Head of communications and marketing at FIBS
• Friend and key partner between FIBS and IABF
• Inaugural recipient of this honor

Anthony Volpe

• Top prospect in the Yankees organization
• 2019 New Jersey High School Player of the Year
• 1st round pick in 2019 MLB Draft

Trey Mancini

• Baltimore Orioles First Baseman
• 2021 American League Comeback Player of the Year
• 2021 MLB Home Run Derby Participant

Mike Rizzo

• President and GM of the Washington Nationals
• 2019 World Series Champion
• Selected by Angels in 1982 MLB Draft
• Scout for White Sox, Red Sox, Diamondbacks
• Lead Scouting Director, Diamondbacks 2000-2006

Dom Scala

• Career record of 432-331-5 at Adelphi
• Won three conference titles and three coach of the year honors
• Inductee of the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame
• Sixth round draft pick by Oakland in 1976
• New York Yankees Bullpen Catcher from 1978-1981
• New York Yankees Bullpen Coach 1981-1986
• Won World Series with Yankees in 1978
• Advanced Scout with Pittsburgh Pirates from 1987-1990

Tom Verducci

• Write Sports Illustrated; broadcaster Fox Sports
• 3X National Sportswriter of the Year
• Emmy Awards in 2012, 2013, 2018
• Best selling author of “The Yankee Years,” “The Cubs Way,” “Chasing the Dream”
• Inductee of National Sports Media Association Hall of Fame

JP Ricciardi

• MLB Executive – Special Advisor to President of Baseball Operations with SF Giants
• Previously served as Special Assistant to NY Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson

Anthony Iapoce

• Hitting coach for Chicago Cubs
• Played for Milwaukee Brewers
• Played college baseball at Lamar University

Lee Mazzilli

• Professional baseball player, coach, and manager
• 13 year baseball career
• Played for NY Mets, Texas Rangers, NY Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Toronto Blue Jays

Joe Girardi

• All-Star (2000)
• 4× World Series champion (1996, 1998, 1999, 2009)
• NL Manager of the Year (2006)

Frank Catalanotto

• 13 Year MLB Career
• 2001 Placed 5th in MLB Batting With a .330 average
• Named Head Baseball Coach in 2018 at New York Institute of Technology

Natalie M. Spedaliere

• Sr. Coordinator to the President of MLB Network / NHL Network
• Director – IABF Executive Board
• Fundraising Committee – IABF Foundation

John Franco

424 Saves (5th in MLB)
4× All-Star (1986, 1987, 1989, 1990)
2× NL Rolaids Relief Man Award (1988, 1990)
3× NL saves leader (1988, 1990, 1994)
2012 New York Mets Hall of Fame

Jon Paul Morosi

• In-game reporter for Fox Sports
• Analyst for MLB Network’s WhipAround
• MLB reporter for the World Baseball Classic
• Covered 10 World Series

Bobby Valentine

1970 MVP – Pacific Coast League – Spokane Indians
1986 UPI Manager of the Year – Texas Rangers.
2000 Manager NL Champion – New York Mets
2005 Manager of the Japan Series Champions – Chiba Lotte Marines of the Japanese Pacific League.
He is currently athletic director of Sacred Heart University in Connecticut

Gary Perone

Brooklyn Cyclones assistant General Manager
Co-Founder  of the Borough Cup
Presidential Citation – Minor League Baseball (MILB)
2012 – 2016 Robert Julian Community and Baseball Service Award
Brooklyn Cyclones – 2017 Winner of the Larry McPhail award