Sam Aldegheri Can Thank a Former Angel for His New Pitch

Aldegheri wisely sought out counsel from the Professor.

Mar 7, 2026; Houston, TX, United States; Italy starting pitcher Sam Aldegheri (12) delivers a pitch during the second inning against Brazil at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Angles hurler Sam Aldegheri caught the attention of the baseball world last week when he shut down Team Brazil in the World Baseball Classic. Pitching for Team Italy, Aldegheri struck out 8 batters in 4 and 2/3rds shutout innings.

Going against the same lineup Logan Webb faced in the Classic, Aldegheri got more swings and misses and went deeper into the game. Webb also served up a leadoff home run against Brazil.

Nobody expects Aldegheri to routinely outperform Logan Webb. But the fact the two can be compared, even at this stage of the season, is something nobody could have predicted.

The reason behind Aldegheri's recent success is tied to the refinement of his changeup thanks to a tip for a former teammate.

Aldegheri is throwing his changeup with a new grip.

With a below average fastball speed of 91 miles per hour, Aldegheri needs to rely on location and mixing speeds to be successful. The real key is having a notable difference in speed between pitches. A 91 MPH fastball and a 88 MPH slider don't have enough separation to jar a hitter's timing, for example.

But with an 80 mile per hour changeup that he can locate on the outer edge against right handed hitters, Aldegheri now gives hitters enough variation to keep them honest. Simply by looking for the change piece, the fastball seems to arrive quicker.

Take a look at Aldegheri's performance in the video below.

Sam Aldegheri delivers a stellar start in Italy's @WBCBaseball opener 🔥

The @Angels' No. 17 prospect racks up eight punchouts (17 whiffs) and allows just one hit over 4 2/3 scoreless innings. pic.twitter.com/a22i4hRKhv

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) March 7, 2026

Notice how perfectly he spots the change up time and again. 80 miles per hour, at the knees, outside part of the plate. That is a nasty pitch that makes every other pitch in his arsenal better.

Aldegheri learned his new grip from Kyle Hendricks

Sep 4, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks (28) pitches during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Early in camp this year Aldegheri approached Kyle Hendricks and asked him for help with his changeup. Hendricks made a 12 year MLB career out of changing speeds and locations. With neither man possessing a big fastball, the match was perfect.

Hendricks showed Aldegheri how he gripped his changeup as well as how he pronated his wrist while throwing it. Like a good pupil, Sam followed instructions and started using it in the Cactus League.

Players trying out new grips and new pitches is common this time of year. Guys on the roster bubble are generally looking for results over development at this stage, but Aldegheri was smart enough to realize he needed to improve and had the perfect mentor.

Over his career Hendricks was known for two things. One was being a great guy and teammate. The other was his plus changeup. Aldegheri could not have come to a better source and is having good early success with his new change piece.