National coach Evert-Jan ‘t Hoen has announced the roster of players with whom he will not only aim to defend the title at the Haarlem Baseball Week, but also hopes to regain A-status. The Kingdom team kicks off the week as early as Friday night at 7:30 p.m. with a game against the young Team USA.
For this edition, national coach ‘t Hoen selected a mix of talent and experience, but for loyal fans of Dutch baseball, the roster features many familiar names. Fifteen of the 24 players selected play in the Lucky Day Baseball major league, where Curaçao Neptunus is the dominant force with no fewer than nine representatives. Players from the domestic major league are joined by some nine top players and prospects from foreign leagues.
PITCHING
Especially on the mound, the Kingdom team has traditionally featured many major league players, and this year’s edition in Haarlem is no exception. Lars Huijer (HCAW) pitched a great game against title favorite Japan in the semifinals two years ago and hopes to reach that same level again soon at Pim Mulier Stadium.
He will once again be joined in the rotation by Shairon Martis (Curaçao Neptune). The pitcher, who will always be remembered for his no-hitter at the World Baseball Classic, shut down Curaçao’s bats in the final two years ago and has actually been an integral part of the Orange for years.
A third starter—as was the case at last year’s WBC—could be Martis’ teammate Tom de Blok, but that honor could also go to Koen Postelmans. Indeed, he is off to a great start to the season with the Rotterdam club.
Another option could be Jaydenn Estanista (Jersey Shore BlueClaws, High-A). The young pitcher from the Philadelphia Phillies organization also started a game at the WBC and is the only Kingdom player to join the team this Baseball Week from the minor leagues, where he plays for the Jersey Shore BlueClaws, after recently being promoted from Single-A. The Antillean native struggled with a serious injury last year, but is now back in shape.
The other major league pitchers on the roster are Juan Carlos Sulbaran, Aaron de Groot, and Ryan Huntington (all from Neptune), while Kevin Kelly (Sultanes de Monterrey, Mexico), Eric Mendez (Atleticos de Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic), and Scott Prins (Ottawa Titans, Canada) were flown in alongside Estanista to keep opponents at bay.
EXPERIENCE
Wladimir Balentien retired from baseball after last year’s Baseball Week, but Roger Bernadina and Juremi Profar—both currently playing for the Macerata Angels in Italy’s Serie A—were also key offensive contributors to the Kingdom team two years ago, so ‘t Hoen can count on their strong performance again this year. Also traveling with them from the Netherlands are Junior Martina, Eugene Helder (both under contract with Bologna Fortitudo), and Jiandido Tromp (San Marino).
For Helder, this could be his debut with the Kingdom. The 28-year-old from Aruba reached the highest level of the minor leagues at age 21 and shared a locker room in the Seattle Mariners organization with Julio Rodriguez, Mitch Haniger, J.P. Crawford, Jarred Kelenic, and a recovering Felix Hernandez, among others, but never managed to make that final step to the majors.
TALENT
These experienced players are often joined by young talent. For example, 21-year-old Tyriq Kemp is making his debut with the Kingdom team this week. The young player, who currently plays in the United States for Baylor University, has consistently excelled at international youth tournaments in recent years and has now earned a spot on the big Orange squad. There he will be reunited with a familiar face: his brother Dwayne. Kemp Sr.—though that title actually still belongs to family patriarch Adonis—has already played in more than 100 international matches, but will have his younger brother by his side for the first time in Haarlem.
Whether the young Kemp can count on a starting spot, however, remains to be seen. What is certain is that there will be a rookie behind home plate. Indeed, Jair van Borkulo (HCAW) and Sem Kuijper (DSS-Kinheim), aged 22 and 20, respectively, are the two catchers on the roster and will therefore have to decide among themselves who gets to start. Both were European Under-23 champions last year in Austria, where Kuijper was even named Player of the Tournament.
The other selectors are Stijn van der Meer (Neptunus), Delano Selassa, Jeandro Tromp (both HCAW), and Denzel Richardson (Amsterdam Pirates).