Alex Maestri

Alex Maestri
File:Alex Maestri 2007.jpg Maestri pitching for the Peoria Chiefs, Single-A affiliates of the Chicago Cubs on August 3, 2007.
Hanwha Eagles – No. 48
Pitcher
Born: (1985-06-01) June 1, 1985 Cesena, Italy
Bats: Right Throws: Right
ABL statistics (through 2012)
Win-loss	4-4
Earned run average	3.25
Strikeouts	53
NPB statistics (through 2015)
Win-loss	14-11
Earned run average	3.44
Strikeouts	164
Teams
San Marino Baseball Club (2005) (IBL) Brisbane Bandits (2011-2012) (ABL) Rimini Baseball Club (2012) (IBL) Kagawa Olive Guyners (2012) (SIL) Orix Buffaloes (2012) (NPB) Hanwha Eagles (2016-present) (KBO)
Career highlights and awards
Australian Baseball League All-Star (2011) ABL Fan Choice Award (2012)

Alessandro Maestri (born June 1, 1985, in Cesena, Italy) is an Italian professional baseball player. A pitcher, the 5'11", 180 lb. right-hander signed with the Chicago Cubs as a non-drafted free agent on Jan. 6, 2006, making him the first Italian-born pitcher to be signed by a Major League Baseball team. Maestri currently plays for the Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization.

Early career

Born in Cesena, Maestri grew up in Viserba, a suburb near Rimini. He played in the Italian minor leagues for Torre Pedrera. In 2005 he played with San Marino Baseball in the Italian Baseball League, the highest league in Italy.

Italy national team

Maestri was signed by Cubs scout Bill Holmberg, who also serves as pitching coach for the Italy national baseball team for whom Maestri pitched in both the 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classic. Maestri gave up one earned run in two appearances out of the bullpen in the 2006 WBC. In 2009, Maestri pitched 2.2 innings without giving up a run.

Chicago Cubs organization

Early in the 2007 season, Maestri's second season of professional ball with the Class A Peoria Chiefs, he gave up seven runs in two innings against the Cedar Rapids Kernels. From that point on, he did not give up more than two runs in an appearance for the rest of the season, and converted his first seven save opportunities to earn himself a Midwest League All-Star nod.

His success in 2007 prompted the Cubs to try to convert Maestri into a starter. Thus, he began the 2008 season in the starting rotation of the Florida State League Class A advanced Daytona Cubs. In this role, he went 5-3 with a 3.69 ERA to again earn himself an All Star nod. Following the all star game, Maestri was promoted to the double A Southern League Tennessee Smokies. With the Smokies, Maestri made two starts in which he pitched 11 innings and gave up eight earned runs before shoulder soreness forced the Cubs to shut him down for the remainder of the season, and ended the Cubs' experiment with Maestri as a starter.

The Cubs released Maestri in April 2011, and he signed with the Lincoln Saltdogs of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball.

Brisbane Bandits

On November 5, 2011, Maestri made his Australian Baseball League debut with the Brisbane Bandits. Starting against the Canberra Cavalry, Maestri went five innings and gave up two hits, picking up the first win of the Bandits' 2011-12 season. His performances earned him a spot with Team World at the 2011 Australian Baseball League All-Star Game. Maestri pitched a scoreless inning in the game. Maestri continued the season as the Bandits' ace, finishing third highest in the league in strikeouts and innings pitched. The Bandits ended the half a game short of the playoffs, with Maestri posting a 3.25 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP en route to winning the ABL's Fan Choice Award.

2012

Maestri played portions of 2012 for the Rimini Baseball Club and the Kagawa Olive Guyners of Japan's Shikoku Island League. He then signed with the Orix Buffaloes.

Orix Buffaloes

Maestri signed with the Orix Buffaloes prior to the 2012 season.

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
• Career statistics and player information from Korea Baseball Organization