Verona native David Festa will make his Major League Baseball pitching debut on Thursday when he takes to the mound for the Minnesota Twins in a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Arizona.
Festa, who got his start in Verona youth baseball, played for Seton Hall Prep in high school and Seton Hall University in college. He had been pitching for the St. Paul Saints, a Triple-A affiliate of the Twins, before being called up. Festa was selected by the Twins in the 13th round of the MLB Draft in 2021.
TwinsDaily.com, the leading fan site for the Minnesota club, wrote yesterday that “Festa has been not only the most effective pitcher in St. Paul, but also one of the most dominant starters in Triple-A. After shoring up some previous problems with walk rate, the 6-foot-6 righthander has the raw stuff to be a weapon at the big-league level. He got his feet wet with the Saints last year, making three starts, and holds a 3.77 ERA in 14 starts this season. His ERA has been inflated by the long ball so far in 2024, but this is an outlier in the context of his career.”
Festa’s Verona fans will have a special opportunity to watch Thursday’s game, which is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. eastern. The Verona Inn is opening its doors early and will be streaming the action on multiple TVs. “Let’s make this a great gathering,” Pam Priscoe wrote in announcing the watch party on Facebook.
(Photo: Rob Thompson for the St. Paul Saints)
