Reading Fightin Phils have a strong presence at the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Twenty-five current and former Fightins from 15 different countries are participating in the tournament.
Nori’s Hot Start for Team Italy
Dante Nori, an outfielder for the 2025 R-Phils, is representing Team Italy. He was selected by Philadelphia with the 27th overall pick of the 2024 MLB Draft. Nori began 2025 with the Clearwater Threshers before reaching Reading by season’s end, where he appeared in five games.
In two games with Italy so far, Nori has a 5-for-7 start at the plate. This includes a two-homer performance in Italy’s 8-0 shutout of Team Brazil on Saturday.
Fightins Teammates Join Nori
Joining Nori for Italia are former R-Phil Sam Aldegheri and current Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola. Aldegheri was signed as an international free agent out of Italy by the Phillies in 2019. He reached Double-A in 2024, making two starts with Reading before being traded to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for Carlos Estevez in July.
Aldegheri made his major league debut a month later. He became the first major league pitcher to be born and raised in Italy. The 24-year-old made his tournament debut on Saturday against Team Brazil, tossing 4.1 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts.
Nola was drafted by Philadelphia with the seventh overall pick of the 2014 draft out of LSU. He appeared in Reading later that summer, making five starts. He went on to start 15 more games with the Fightin Phils in 2015, posting a 7-3 record along with a 1.88 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 76.2 innings. He is scheduled to start on Wednesday night against Team Mexico.
Suarez Represents Venezuela
2018 R-Phil Ranger Suarez will be headlining Venezuela’s pitching staff. Suarez spent his entire career within the Phillies organisation before inking a five-year, $130 million contract with the Boston Red Sox back in January. He made a total of 13 starts for Reading, recording a 2.69 ERA in 77 innings for the Fightins. Suarez made his tournament debut on Friday, tossing two innings and earning the win in Venezuela’
Many current and former Fightin Phils are representing their countries in the World Baseball Classic.