Bees on the International Stage in World Baseball Classic
PCL Salt Lake Bees

Bees on the International Stage in World Baseball Classic

Published on March 20, 2026 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Salt Lake Bees News Release


SOUTH JORDAN, UT - Four Salt Lake Bees represented four different countries in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Left-handed pitchers Sam Aldegheri and Samy Natera and outfielders Matthew Lugo and Gustavo Campero all competed in the action. Aldegheri played with Team Italy, Natera for Team Mexico, Lugo with Puerto Rico, and Campero with Columbia. Aldegheri's squad made it the farthest, making it to the semifinals before falling to Venezuela.

Along with players, four members of new manager Doug Davis' staff coached for their respective countries. Bench coach Jack Santora appeared with Team Italy as a batting practice pitcher. Athletic trainer Koki Ikeda for Team Czech Republic and assistant athletic trainer Dan Turner for Team Mexico.

Aldegheri earned his first international start for Team Italy, taking the bump against Brazil on March 7. He tossed 4.2 scoreless innings, walked two, and punched out eight in the Azzuri's 8-0 win in pool play. Aldegheri earned the starting nod in Italy's first knockout game against Puerto Rico. Despite recording four outs, the southpaw picked up the victory to help his country advance to their first ever WBC semifinal appearance. In total, Aldegheri tossed six innings, allowed two runs, walked three, and got nine strikeouts.

Natera Jr., represented Team Mexico, marking his first major international play. The 26-year-old made two appearances out of the bullpen for his country, tossing 1.1 innings. In his international debut against Great Britain, Natera Jr. walked his first two batters before being the beneficiary of a Randy Arozarena outfield assist to end the sixth inning. His efforts helped Mexico secure an 8-2 victory. He took the mound again three days later to face Team USA, where he posted a scoreless fifth and struck out Cal Raleigh in his team's 5-3 defeat.

Lugo made his international debut with Team Puerto Rico. In pool play, the outfielder appeared in three games, making his international debut against Colombia. During Puerto Rico's quarterfinal loss to Italy, Lugo picked up his first base hit as well as a hit-by-pitch. Over four total games played in the Classic, the outfielder went 1-for-5 (.200) with two walks, a hit-by-pitch, and was caught stealing once.

Campero appeared in three games for Colombia. Playing in his second WBC, the outfielder notched his only hit, a double, and a walk in the 7-4 loss to Cuba. Campero played in Colombia's only win of the Classic, helping his squad defeat Panama 4-3 to avoid relegation for the next edition of the WBC.

Santora returns to the Bees for a fourth season and has been a coach in the Los Angeles Angels organization since 2017, including serving as the manager of the Orem Owlz in 2019. Santora was drafted by Arizona in the 19th round of the 1999 draft out of UCLA and spent part of the 2002 season with the Tucson Sidewinders in the PCL. Following six years in affiliated baseball, Santora played four seasons with the Independent Newark Bears of the Atlantic League and 10 seasons in the Italian Baseball League with Rimini and San Marino. As a member of the Italian National Team, Santora won European Baseball championships in 2010 and 2012 and joined Team Italy for his second stint with the squad, his first coming in 2023's action.

Ikeda returns for his second season with the Bees and his first as the club's head athletic trainer. He was selected for a four-man medical team that helped the Czechs in their second-ever WBC appearance.

Turner joins the Bees for his first season and was in the group of athletic trainers for Team Mexico, whose team fell just short of the quarterfinal round.

The Salt Lake Bees open the 2026 season on the road in Las Vegas on March 27 and return home for the home opener on March 31 against the Sacramento River Cats at The Ballpark at America First Square in Downtown Daybreak.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from March 20, 2026


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