July 5, 2026, was a historic day for Matteo Marelli and Italian baseball. The Milanese pitcher, born in 2006, has signed with the New York Mets.
The athlete, a native of Senago—where he developed as a player until 2023—has officially become the sixth Italian to join the American Minor Leagues in 2025, following: Giacomo Taschin (his teammate at Rovigo, who signed a few weeks ago with the Toronto Blue Jays), Filippo Sabatini, Williams Wong, Alessandro Ercolani, and Samuel Aldegheri.
“I’m overjoyed about what happened today. It took me a little while to realize it was all real. I’m very motivated for what lies ahead and can’t wait to get started,” said Marelli after signing.
He went on to thank his family, girlfriend, friends, and everyone who has supported him during this time and throughout his sporting and personal journey. He also emphasized the work he did with Senago Baseball during the early stages of his career and his development over the past two years under pitching coach Enrico Crepaldi.
Back in first grade, fate intervened when young Matteo won a week at the Senago Baseball summer camp in his school’s lottery. After that camp, the young Milanese never left the baseball diamond, falling in love with the game. That September, he officially enrolled in Senago Baseball, launching his career. In 2022, at just 16 years old, he made his Serie A debut, and in 2024, he transferred to Itas Mutua Rovigo. With Rovigo, he won a U18 national title last season and, with the Italian national team, the 2024 U18 European Championship.
“Today is a historic and emotional day for the New York Mets as we proudly welcome Matteo Marelli into our organization,” said Rosario Chiovaro, International Scouting Manager for the Mets. “Matteo is the first European amateur ever signed by our franchise, and we couldn’t be more excited about his future. We’ve been closely following Matteo over the past three years, and it became clear to us that he has the tools to compete at the professional level. But what truly sets him apart is his intelligence, his tireless determination to improve, and the maturity he demonstrates both on and off the field. He is the product of an exceptional support system, and we are deeply grateful to his parents, Stefano and Gabriella, for placing their trust in the Mets as Matteo embarks on this new chapter of his journey. This signing also holds special meaning for me personally. As the son of an Italian immigrant, having the opportunity to contribute to the growth of baseball in Italy and bring talents like Matteo into professional baseball is extremely exciting and a source of great pride. It’s a testament to how much our sport has grown internationally and to the promising future of European baseball. We are proud to be part of this growth and look forward to seeing Matteo develop within the Mets system.”
At the ceremony held at the baseball field on Via Vittorio Veneto in Rovigo, several guests attended to celebrate Matteo’s new chapter in life.
The first speaker was FIBS Vice President Pierluigi Bissa, who said: “There are several aspects to consider. From the movement’s perspective, it’s obviously a moment of pride—having a young player go on to compete on the best fields in the world is certainly a source of pride for the movement, the federation, the club that developed him, and his coaches. It’s definitely a very positive sign that we’re heading in the right direction, especially because this isn’t an isolated case. Here in Rovigo, just a few weeks ago, we also celebrated Giacomo Taschin, and this can only bring joy. From the player’s perspective, this is the beginning of a dream coming true. We all know the ultimate dream is to reach where Aldegheri from Verona has, but for now, this is the start of Matteo’s journey. We hope he will truly become a reference point for all young players, a positive example and a source of enthusiasm to help drive the growth of Italian baseball.”
After the Vice President of the Italian Baseball and Softball Federation (FIBS), other speakers included: Pia Poliero (former teacher and president of Rovigo’s Panathlon Club), Francesco Aluffi (Matteo’s coach at Rovigo and with the Italian national team), Nicholas Gidon Nosti (captain of Itas Mutua Rovigo), and Josè Antonio Soto Diaz (current manager of Rovigo). All spoke words of praise and encouragement for Matteo and his future in the United States.
The event was hosted by Lucio Taschin, sporting director of Rovigo, who said about Matteo Marelli’s signing with the Mets: “For Itas Mutua Baseball Rovigo, becoming part of history—having two players signed in the same year—is clearly something extraordinary. I don’t know how often this will happen again in Italy. For us, it’s an honor to see that our goals as a club are being realized. We specialize in developing young pitchers with ambitions, even though we’re not a top club focused on winning championships. This is our dimension, and we believe we’re doing it well, thanks also to what happened today with Matteo and all the other players who’ve been called up to the national team over the years, winning various titles—not just in baseball but also in softball.”
On July 9, Matteo will head to the Dominican Republic to play in the Summer League with the Mets before returning to Italy on August 30.
He will finish the season with Rovigo and, in October, head back to participate in the Instructional League.
