Big league executive and past IABF Executive of the Year honoree J.P. Ricciardi led a guest lecture with the Italian American Baseball Foundation Student Leadership Advisory Council on Monday, February 13.

Baseball officials, journalists, and players will offer wisdom for Italian American high school and college baseball and softball players throughout the year.

Ricciardi, currently a special advisor to the President of Baseball Operations of the San Francisco Giants, was the General Manager of the Toronto Blue Jays from 2001-2009. He was special assistant to the GM with the Mets from 2011-2018 and has been with the Giants since 2018.

He spoke about differences in the game, similarities between ball clubs all fighting for the same territory, and the various roles he’s served over the last 40 years. He also ended on a passionate note about persistence being the best advice he had for students looking to achieve their goals.

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence,” he said. “Persistence is what made Italian Americans succeed in this country. I’m proud of what Italian Americans have contributed to this country, and I’d like to see more Italian Americans in baseball.”

He was the second baseball official to speak with the group, following Gianmarco Farone from the Federation of Italian Baseball and Softball.