The Italian right-hander Andrea Pizziconi has signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks organization and is going to make his professional debut this fall in the instructional league in the Dominican Republic. Afterwards he will return to Italy continuing his studies at the Academy in Tirrenia. Next spring he is expected to join Missoula Osprey of the Pioneer League.
The 18-year-old was scouted at the European Championship Juniors in Bonn (2-0, ERA 2.13, 12.2 IP, 9 SO, 5 BB) and the MLB Camp in Tirrenia this summer. His cousin Matteo Pizziconi is pitching in the Cincinnati Reds organization. During the 2008 season he played for the second-tier team of DANESI NETTUNO in the Serie A2 and had a 4-1 record with an ERA of 5.15 in eleven games (six starts). He struck out 35 in 43 2/3 innings, while walking 44.