Last month we divided up the player information by team so you could find which roster to check for your favorite hometown hero. This month, we’re organizing them by country so you can find all your countrymen in one spot.
Belgium
Sam Buelens, Antwerp
Team: DSL Blue Jays
League: Dominican Summer League – Foreign Rookie
Parent Club: Toronto Blue Jays - NL
Position: 2nd/RF
2017 Status: The 21-year old is currently scheduled to remain in the DSL another season. While his new assignment will come in June, there is a need, based on age, for him to find forward momentum this season if he hopes to remain on an MiLB roster heading into 2018.
France
Andy Paz, Toulousain
Team: Midland RockHounds
League: Texas League
Parent Club: Oakland Athletics - AL
Position: Catcher
2017 Status: The 24-year old catcher, born in Cuba but trained in France, has been steadily working his way through the minors since his signing off the French national team in 2010. Following spring training he was promoted back up to the RockHounds for his first full season in AA after spending all but 10 games there last year.
Germany
Aaron Alther, Landstuhl
Team: Philadelphia Phillies
League: MLB - NL
Parent Club: Philadelphia Phillies
Position: OF
2017 Status: Born in Germany to professional footie player Frank, Alther started his fourth season with the Phillies earlier this month. The outfielder has appeared in six games splitting his time pretty evenly between spots in the outfield.
Pascal Amon, Ingolstadt
Team: Dodgers1
League: Dominican Summer League – Foreign Rookie
Parent Club: Los Angeles Dodgers - NL
Position: CF
2017 Status: At just 19-years old Amon is likely to return to the DSL when the season assignments are given out in June. Until then he's in extended spring training.
Edwin Jackson, Neu-Ulm
Team: Baltimore Orioles
League: MLB - AL
Parent Club: Baltimore Orioles
Position: RHP
2017 Status: On April 5, 2017, Jackson signed his 6th free agency contract, in as many years, with the Baltimore Orioles. The 33-year old pitcher has yet to take the mound for the O’s however. His last big league appearance was in a Padres’ uniform back in early September last season.
Max Kepler, Berlin
Team: Minnesota Twins
League: MLB - NL
Parent Club: Minnesota Twins
Position: RF
2017 Status: Kepler is spending his second full season in right for the parent club. It seems the off-season did little to cool down his bat. Posting a .302 average through 12 games he has 13 hits, including 4 doubles, 1 triple and a homerun for 6 runs and 6 RBIs off 13 hits. In right he has also been responsible for 21 putouts to date.
Nadir Ljatifi, Dortmund
Team: AZL Reds
League: Arizona League – Rookie
Parent Club: Cincinnati Reds - NL
Position: 3rd
2017 Status: 19-year old Nadir has a new position heading into the season. He was moved from SS back to 3rd. The rookie is currently in extended spring training before the AZL season begins in June.
Bruce Maxwell, Weisbaden
Team: Nashville Sound
League: Pacific Coast League - AAA
Parent Club: Oakland Athletics - AL
Position: Catcher
2017 Status: On March 26, 2017, the Athletics optioned Maxwell to the Sound, where he spent most of 2016 before being called up to the parent club for 29 games. He’s currently posting a .208 average through 7 games with 57 putouts.
Sven Schüller, Wuppertal
Team: Great Lake Loons
League: Midwest League – Class A Full Season
Parent Club: Los Angeles Dodgers - NL
Position: RHP
2017 Status: Schüller had an eventful off-season. After a late season move up to rookie ball last summer he spent the winter in the ABL and now he’s moved up to full season Class A ball in the Midwest League. Through three games he’s posting a 1.69 ERA and 1.75 WHIP.
Markus Solbach, Dormagen
Team: Visalia Rawhide
League: California League – A Advanced
Parent Club: Arizona Diamondbacks - NL
Position: RHP
2017 Status: Solbach opted free agency to end his 2016 season with the Rawhide. No word yet on his current deal for 2017, however, he has been warming up at home pitching for the Bonn Capitals until his return to the States in June.
Italy
Nicolo Clemente, Bologna
Team: GCL Red Sox
League: Gulf Coast League – Rookie
Parent Club: Boston Red Sox - AL
Position: RHP
2017 Status: On December 19, 2016, Clemente was released by the GCL Red Sox. He returned to UnipolSai where he will play in the IBL with his hometown club Fortitudo Bologna this season.
Marten Gasparini, Ruda
Team: Lexington Legends
League: South Atlantic League - A
Parent Club: Kansas City Royals - AL
Position: SS
2017 Assignment: Gasparini began his second full season with the Lexington Legends earlier this month after time in extended spring training with the home club in AZ. Gasparini, who was previously training at SS, has been moved to the outfield to start 2017. After both extended spring training and winter ball invites in 2016 and now extended spring in 2017, it is clear the club sees something in the 19-year old they’re looking to develop. He’s played 8 games to date, all in center, where he’s recorded 14 putouts. He’s committed two errors but that’s to be expected in a new position. At short last year he was averaging nearly one error every other game so, in comparison, his stats are headed in the right direction. His batting average is also on the upswing. Having ended 2016 with a .196 on the year, he’s already swinging .226.
Federico Giordani, Anzio
Team: Dodgers2
League: DSL – Foreign Rookie
Parent Club: Los Angeles Dodgers – NL
Position: OF
2017 Status: Federico Giordani has been released ahead of the 2017 season. He has returned to his spot on the Angel Service Gruppo Secur Nettuno for the IBL season.
Alberto Mineo, Gorzia
Team: South Bend Cubs
League: Midwest League – A
Parent Club: Chicago Cubs - NL
Position: C
2017 Status: As expected Mineo has begun taking on catching duties for the South Bend Cubs. He’s appeared in 9 games to date where he’s putout 19 while batting .296 with 2 triples and a double for 9 RBIs. That’s a solid start for a guy who was hitting .243 last season.
Lithuania
Dovydas Neverauskas, Vilnius
Team: Indianapolis Indians
League: International League – AAA
Parent Club: Pittsburgh Pirates – NL
Position: RHP
2017 Status: The Pittsburgh Pirates optioned Neverauskas to the AAA-International League Indianapolis Indians after watching his performance throughout spring training. Invited as a 40-man roster addition, his limited outings were not strong in the warm-up to season. Since arriving in the Indian’s pen they’ve utilized the righty as a closer. To date he’s posting a 0.00 ERA over 6 innings with 1 save in 3 games.
Modolva
Vadim Balan, Tiraspol
Team: GCL Twins – Rookie
League: Gulf Coast League
Parent Club: Minnesota Twins - AL
Position: RHP
2017 Status: No word yet on Balan’s status for 2017. He ended last season hurt so we’ll have to wait until June to get a look at where he’s headed. At the moment, he is still an active player.
Netherlands
Paul Brands, Haarlem
Team: GCL Pirates
League: Gulf Coast League - Rookie
Parent Club: Pittsburgh Pirates - NL
Position: C
2017 Status: When the league opens in June chances are Brands will be moving up a level. His batting average took a .40 jump last year and he played 29 games in the short schedule. The question will be whether they’ll keep him one more season to train at 3rd, where he spent 11 games last year, or advance him to the next level in the catcher position.
Taylor Clemensia, Amsterdam
Team: GCL Twins
League: Gulf Coast League – Rookie
Parent Club: Minnesota Twins - AL
Position: LHP
2017 Status: 20-year old Clemensia is expected to return to the GCL in June. Last season he held a 2.47 ERA through 43.2 innings with 1 win and 4 losses and a 1.21 WHIP.
Sir Didi Gregorius, Amsterdam
Team: New York Yankees
League: MLB – AL
Parent Club: New York Yankees
Position: SS
2017 Status: Gregorius has yet to take the field in 2017 for the Yankees. After a strong start in the WBC, the shortstop strained his right shoulder executing a double play for the homeland. Initially his final game out of the tournament was reported as a cautionary step. Now it appears he’ll be on the DL through at least April. The team has him at extended spring training and expects Didi to begin rehab play on the lower levels before returning to the bigs in May.
Matz Schutte, Almere
Team: GCL Twins
League: Gulf Coast League – Rookie
Parent Club: Minnesota Twins
Position: RHP
2017 Status: In June we’ll learn more about Shutte’s team assignment. At the moment, no reports are coming in to give us any indication on his placement for the season.
Stijn van der Meer, Rosmalen
Team: Buies Creek Astros
League: Carolina League – A Advanced
Parent Club: Houston Astros – AL
Postion: SS
2017 Status: On April 4th van der Meer was assigned to the Buies Creek Astros from the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 6 games he played SS, 2B and 3B for a combined total of 5 putouts and 8 assists. At the plate he posted just a .158 average in 19 appearances. That was enough for the Astros to hand him a boarding pass. Released earlier today, van der Meer will return to The Netherlands where he'll play for Neputunus this season.
Kingdom of the Netherlands
Nelmerson Angela, Willemstad Curaçao
Team: DSL Mets1
League: Dominican Summer League - Rookie
Parent Club: NY Mets - NL
Position: LHP
2017 Status: When season begins in June, 19-year old Angela is expected back to the DSL Mets. The question remains will he be advancing back up to the Mets2 team or remain with Mets1 where he was reassigned mid-season last year after just 15 days.
Xander Jan Bogaerts, Oranjestad Aruba
Team: Boston Red Sox
League: MLB - AL
Parent Club: Boston Red Sox
Position: IF – SS, 3B
2017 Status: All warmed up from the WBC Bogaerts has started the 2017 season with a .375 average for the Sox. In 32 plate appearances he’s had just one double and four RBIs meaning he’s earning his average getting on base.
Rachid Engelhardt, Willemstad Curaçao
Team: DSL Orioles1
League: Dominican Summer League – Foreign Rookie
Parent Club: Baltimore Orioles - AL
Position: OF
2017 Status: Engelhardt is on track to move up to the next level this season when the 2017 assignments come through in the DSL. He finished 2016 with a .259 average and 46 putouts in 34 games in the outfield.
Kenley Jansen, Willemstad Curaçao
Team: Los Angeles Dodgers
League: MLB – NL
Parent Club: Los Angeles Dodgers
Position: RHP
2017 Status: The $80M arm has been making quick work of the 2017 season. He’s posting a 3.86 ERA through 4.2 innings in 5 games of relief recording 3 saves in as many opportunities.
Jair Jurrjens, Santa Maria Curaçao
Team: Los Angeles Dodgers
League: MLB - NL
Parent Club: Los Angeles Dodgers
Position: RHP
2017 Status: Following his performance in the WBC, Jurrjens signed a free agency deal with Dodgers on March 30, 2017, but has yet to come out of the pen. Jurrjens played in 3 games for team Netherlands in the Classic recording 1 win and 2 saves in 11.1 innings of relief where he posted a 2.38 ERA.
Shairon Martis, Willemstad Curaçao
Team: Unknown
League: Unknown
Parent Club: Baltimore Orioles - AL
Position: RHP
2017 Status: Heading into the WBC Martis was contracted with the independent club the Salt Dogs. On April 6th however, the 30-year old signed as a free agent with the Orioles. Throughout the tournament Martis pitched 7.2 innings over 5 games earning a win and a 1.17 ERA in the Classic. According to Baseball America he contracted for a minor league deal. No word yet on where he’ll be placed for the season.
Ryan Oduber, Oranjestad Aruba
Team: Boston Red Sox
League: Gulf Coast League
Parent Club: Boston Red Sox - AL
Position: LHP
2017 Status: Oduber spent last summer moving. He went from the Dominican Summer League to the Gulf Coast League where the 19-year old posted a 2.43 ERA over 33.1 innings in 12 games. Given his age, depending on his off-season growth, the lefty could find himself on the move once more if he continues to post these kinds of numbers in the new year. We’ll have to wait for opening day in June to see what happens.
Jurickson Profar, Willemstad Curaçao
Team: Texas Rangers
League: MLB – AL
Parent Club: Texas Rangers
Position: IF
2017 Status: Away from the WBC lineup Profar’s batting average is a bit more reflective of his plate talents than his .464 average for the tournament might have suggested. While his five game totals were indeed impressive, you also witnessed his patience, as much as his impatience, at the plate throughout the Classic. In 24 appearances for the Rangers to date, just 4 less than in the tournament, he’s hitting .211 with 5 walks. This seems on-par with his performance throughout the tournament if you keep in mind that the air in Mexico, where The Netherlands spent their first round, made everything fly a bit farther.
Jonathan Schoop, Willemstad Curaçao
Team: Baltimore Orioles
League: MLB - AL
Parent Club: Baltimore Orioles
Position: 2B
2017 Status: Schoop has already racked up 11 hits, including 3 doubles in his first 38 plate appearances for the season. He’s helped 6 cross the plate and scored 8 runs himself to add to his .289 average. On the field he’s putout 27 and assisted in 22 outs.
Sharlon Schoop, Willemstad Curaçao
Team: Unknown
League: Unknown
Parent Club: Baltimore Orioles - AL
Position: SS
2017 Status: In late January the older Schoop brother extended his free agency deal with the Orioles for another season. He split his time last season between AAA and AA finishing the year with the Baysox. He does not currently appear on either team’s 2017 roster however and both teams have begun their seasons.
Andrelton Simmons, Mundo Nobo Curaçao
Team: Angels of Anaheim
League: MLB – NL
Parent Club: Angels of Anaheim
Position: SS
2017 Status: Hitting .286 in 12 games, Simmons’ streak at the plate seems to be extending past the WBC where he posted a .344 in 32 plate appearances. He’s also had 13 putouts and 26 assists at short.
Chadwick Tromp, Oranjestad, Aruba
Team: Daytona Tortugas
League: Florida State League – A Advanced
Parent Club: Cincinnati Reds – NL
Position: Catcher
2017 Status: After starting the season assigned to rookie ball in Billings Montana, Tromp has been moved up to A-Advanced this week before their season began. He’s only made one appearance for the new club this week so it’s too early to report any stats.
The season is young. We’re looking forward to seeing where the early leaders land come August as well as whether or not the slow starters are just taking a while to warm up through the cool spring nights. EBSM will have updates for you the middle of every month throughout the season so check back to keep track of your motherland favorites.
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