ITALY – Former Marlins Puerto Cruz All-Star catcher Dewis Navarro has taken the lead in the Italian Baseball League batting race. Navarro, whose brother Dionar plays for the Tampa Bay Rays, is hitting .367 (29-for-79) with nine doubles and 13 RBIs in 23 games.

One of the top hitters in all of Europe, Parma shortstop Jhonny Carvajal is close behind with a .361 batting mark. The sweet-swinging infielder is 39-for-108 with two homers, five doubles, 22 runs scored and 19 RBIs in 27 games.

Other top hitters includes Bologna’s Eddy Garabito (.352) and Juan Carlos Infante (.351), T&A San Marino’s Carlos Duran (.345), Godo first baseman Lino Connell (.343), Telemarket Rimini’s Lorenzo Avagnina (.340), and Nettuno’s Juan Camilo (.336) and Abraham Nunez (.327).

HITS
41 – Carlos Duran, T&A San Marino
39 – Jhonny Carvajal, Cariparma Parma
38 – Juan Camilo, Danesi Nettuno

TOP PITCHERS

Telemarket Rimini right-hander Rafael Garcia (8-0) has been dominant for the Pirates in nine starts and boasts a dazzling 0.45 ERA with 67 strikeouts and only 15 walks in 60 innings. The Dominican hurler has allowed only four runs (three earned) thus far this season.

Former F.C. Barcelona fireballer Remigio Leal is also enjoying a sparkling debut in Italy’s top league. The Danesi Nettuno reliever is 2-0 with three saves and a 0.96 ERA. The forty-something righty has registered 29 strikeouts in 28 innings while giving up just three earned runs.

Other pitchers enjoying solid campaigns this year includes the following:

- Tiago Da Silva, T&A San Marino (3-1, 1.10, 68 K)
- Horacio Estrada, T&A San Marino (6-1, 1.24, 42 K)
- Jesus Matos, Fortitudo Bologna (5-3, 2.07, 85 K)
- Juan Figueroa, Montepaschi Grosseto (2-5, 2.24, 58 K)
- Yulmann Ribeiro, Fortitudo Bologna (6-1, 2.37, 40 K)
- Enmanuel Ulloa, De Angelis Godo (1-5, 2.42, 43 K)
- Sandy Patrone, Telemarket Rimini (4-0, 2.47, 46 K)
- Carlos Richetti, Danesi Nettuno (4-1, 2.63, 33 K)

Photo courtesy of Ferrini/Fibs

Tags: Italy