Michael Joseph Piazza (born September 4, 1968) was a dominant offensive catcher in Major League Baseball, playing 16 seasons from 1992 to 2007, mainly for the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016. A 12-time All-Star and 10-time Silver Slugger, he amassed 427 career home runs—a record 396 as a catcher—along with a .308 batting average and 1,335 RBIs, establishing him as one of the greatest hitting catchers in history. Interestingly, he was drafted by the Dodgers in 1988 as a personal favor from manager Tommy Lasorda (his godfather) to Piazza's father, and he quickly rose through the minors after converting from first base to catcher, winning the 1993 NL Rookie of the Year. His best season came in 1997, when he batted .362 with 40 homers and 124 RBIs; after being traded to the Mets in 1998, he led the team to the 2000 World Series and set a modern MLB record with an RBI streak of 15 consecutive games. Beyond the diamond, he once owned the Italian soccer club A.C. Reggiana and managed Team Italy at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.