It’s baseball on a global level for this trio of Chukars

IDAHO FALLS – From Tulane University in New Orleans, to Milan, Italy, to Chicago, it’s been quite a journey to Idaho Falls this summer for three Chukars players.

But for Simon Baumgardt, Ben Rosengard and Nicolo Pinazzi, the hope is that their time at Melaleuca Field can be a springboard for playing baseball on a global level.

Baumgardt, currently second among all Chukars in homers with five, played with Team Germany during the World Baseball Classic qualifier in March.

Rosengard has played with Team Israel and hopes to earn a roster spot on the team for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Pinazzi, a left-handed pitcher, was on the Team Italy roster in 2022 and said he hopes to earn a spot in 2026.

Their stories are different, but for the three Chukar players, the end goal remains the same:

Playing baseball for their home country.

“That was one reason I came back, I felt I wasn’t done yet,” said Pinazzi, who had been in the Cincinnati Reds organization before being cut from AA Gary, Indiana. “I felt there were moments last year I was the best I’ve ever been.”

Pinazzi said he was nearly out of baseball and ready to head home to Italy before getting a call from Chukars’ manager Troy Percival.

He eventually made his way to Idaho Falls.

As for possibly making Team Italy, which is in Pool B with the United States, Mexico, Great Britain and Brazil, that kind of pressure isn’t really a concern right now.

“I don’t think about it,” he said. “You just play the game to the best of your abilities and whatever happens, happens. … If they call you, you’re happy. If it doesn’t happen … you just go play the game. That’s all you can think of.”

Rosengard, who’s from Chicago, played with Team Israel in the 2023 European Championships and became an Israeli citizen last year.

He’s expected to play with Israel in the European Championships in September and is looking for a roster spot on the 2026 WBC team, which is in Pool D with Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, the Netherlands and Nicaragua.

“It’s a tough draw but I think we’re up to the challenge,” he said. “We have some good young guys that are ready to contribute and hopefully get some big leaguers to come on, too.”

Rosengard, a shortstop, is hitting .479 with the Chukars.

“I always had two goals in baseball. One was to play professionally and one was to play for Team Israel. It’s pretty cool I’m in the midst of experiencing both of those,” he said.

Team Germany didn’t make the final field for the 2026 WBC, but Baumgardt played with the team in the qualifying rounds before joining the Chukars.

He played college ball at Tulane and the University of Notre Dame, and has dual citizenship since his father is from Germany.

“Growing up here I didn’t know a ton about baseball in Germany,” he said, adding that the sport is growing in his father’s home country.

He said his two weeks with the German team at the WBC qualifying tournament in the spring was quite the experience.

All three players expressed the same sentiment.

“It’s especially meaningful anytime you get to represent your country and represent it on a stage like that,” Rosengard said. “It’s something I never would have dreamed about. I loved every minute of it.”