by DZ
All current major or minor league players developed in European baseball are listed here. The Dominican Summer League season is now under way, and the rookie-level short season leagues in the US have just started or open in the week ahead. We’ll have a lot more players to follow from here through the end of the season.
Along with German Max Kepler’s strong emergence over the past 6 weeks, there are two teams of special interest to European baseball followers – in the Gulf Coast League, the Twins roster includes 3 players from the Netherlands, while the West Virginia Black Bears (a Pirates affiliate) in the New York-Penn League will begin the season today with a Dutch catcher, a Lithuanian in their rotation and a Czech pitcher in their bullpen.
Finally, before we get into the numbers, a bit of clarity on the release of Donald Lutz by the Cincinnati Reds. The outfielder/first baseman, who had spent time on the major league team the past two seasons and was playing in Triple-A Louisville, was out for the year with an elbow injury and was due to be a free agent at the end of the year. So, Lutz’ release was really a procedural move, and the lefty hitter will continue to rehab and will likely sign a new contract, with the Reds or another team, during this coming winter.
MLB –
Didi Gregorius, New York Yankees. Netherlands.
Current team: New York Yankees (MLB)
Gregorius has homered in his last two games, raising his season total to four. He’s batting .296 in the month of June, raising his overall numbers to .236/.290/.335. He’s got 13 walks, 36 strikeouts, and is 3 of five in stolen bases.
Triple A –
Roger Bernadina, Colorado Rockies. Netherlands.
Current team: Albuquerque Isotopes (AAA)
After hitting .409 in his previous 10 games at our last check, the luck has reversed as Bernadina has nary a multi-hit game or home run in his last 10 while batting .171. The outfielder continues to get on base at a healthy pace (OBA of .374), with 13 extra base hits and 6 stolen bases in 52 games.
Double A –
Max Kepler, Minnesota Twins. Germany.
Current team: Chattanooga Lookouts (AA)
Kepler has continued tearing the cover off the ball for first-half league champions Chattanooga. Kepler has 14 hits in his last 5 games, and is at .559 for his last 10. For the Double-A season, Kepler is hitting an incredibly impressive .346/.411/.565, and has 10 stolen bases while walking (21) nearly as often as he strikes out (23).
Alex Liddi, Kansas City Royals. Italy.
Current team: Northwest Arkansas Naturals (AA)
Liddi has 25 extra base hits in 62 games at Double-A. He has 9 hits and is at .250 in his last 10 games. He’s stolen 5 bases without being caught while walking 13 times vs 53 strikeouts. He’s hitting .286.
Single-A –
Federico Celli, Los Angeles Dodgers. Italy.
Current team: Great Lakes Loons (A)
Celli has seven games under his belt thus far, with 2 games at High-A and now 5 in the Midwest League. The Italian outfielder has 3 doubles and five RBIs in 22 at bats, and is hitting .227/.227/.364.
Martin Cervenka, Cleveland Indians. Czech Republic.
Current team: Lake County Captains (A)
Cervenka has appeared in 5 games so far this month, getting hits (and a home run) in his last two games. He’s hitting .213 in 26 games/89 ABs thus far.
Andy Paz, Oakland Athletics. France.
Current team: Beloit Snappers (A)
Paz played his first 6 official games of the year over the last two weeks in the Midwest League. He’s had hits in 4 of those games while striking out 11 times. He’s hitting .217/.250/.261.
Markus Solbach, Arizona Diamondbacks. Germany.
Current team: Kane County Cougars (A)
Solbach continues to succeed as a regular starter in Kane County. Over his last 9 starts, he’s never allowed more than 3 earned runs while pitching at least 5 innings each time out. He’s 5-1 for the year with a 2.87 ERA, striking out 41 and walking 23 in 77 innings.
Rookie –
Paul Brands, Pittsburgh Pirates. Netherlands.
Current team: DSL Pirates (rookie)
The Hoofddorp native had his first plate appearance in the Dominican league, taking a walk.
Sam Buelens, Toronto Blue Jays. Belgium.
Current team: DSL Blue Jays (rookie)
The Antwerp product has appeared in 11 Dominican Summer League games, and has gotten 6 hits in 12 at bats. He’s also stolen 3 bases in four attempts.
Nicolo Clemente, Boston Red Sox. Italy.
Current team: DSL Red Sox 2 (rookie)
The Bologna pitcher has pitched in 4 games, throwing 8.2 innings while recording a win and a save. Of his 10 runs allowed, only 4 were earned – so he’s got an ERA of 4.15 while walking 3 (all came in a single outing) and striking out four.
Rachid Engelhardt, Baltimore Orioles. Netherlands.
Current team: DSL Orioles 1 (rookie)
The Dutch outfielder has played 11 games in the recently-started Dominican Summer League season. He has 9 hits, 5 of them for extra bases, while also stealing four bases. He’s at .265/.342/.500 thus far.
Marten Gasparini, Kansas City Royals. Italy.
Current team: Idaho Falls Chukars (rookie)
The shortstop’s Pioneer League season has just begun, and he has 1 hit in his first 9 at bats. He’s already stolen two bases.
Misja Harcksen, Los Angeles Dodgers. Netherlands.
Current team: AZL Dodgers (rookie)
The Rotterdam native had his first game of the year Saturday – he faced one batter and struck him out.
Julsan Kamara, Philadelphia Phillies. Germany.
Current team: DSL Phillies (rookie)
Kamara has played 15 games for the Dominican League Phillies. He has one double amongst his 6 hits, along with 4 walks and a stolen base. He’s hitting .135/.319/.162.
Alberto Mineo, Chicago Cubs. Italy.
Current team: Eugene Emeralds (rookie)
Mineo got in 4 games at high-A early in the spring, with another appearance back there 10 days ago. After a stretch back in extended spring in between, he’s now been assigned to Eugene. In his first 2 games there, he’s 1 for 7 with a pair of RBIs.
Dovydas Neverauskas, Pittsburgh Pirates. Lithuania.
Current team: West Virginia Black Bears (rookie)
Neverauskas was on the disabled list in A-ball (where he spent last season), but has now been reassigned to the West Virginia Black Bears in the New York Penn League, although their season hasn’t yet begun.
Milan Post, Milwaukee Brewers. Netherlands.
Current team: Helena Brewers (rookie)
The catcher has played in two games in this new season, getting 3 quick hits at two walks in the Pioneer League.
Yet to appear in 2015:
Daniel Arribas, Pittsburgh Pirates. Netherlands.
Assigned to: West Virginia Black Bears (rookie)
Vadim Balan, Minnesota Twins. Moldova.
Taylor Clemensia, Minnesota Twins. Netherlands.
Assigned to: GCL Twins (rookie)
Maik Ehmcke, Arizona Diamondbacks. Germany.
Assigned to: AZL D’backs (rookie)
Federico Giordani, Los Angeles Dodgers. Italy.
Nadir Ljatifi, Cincinnati Reds. Germany.
Marek Minarik, Pittsburgh Pirates. Czech Republic.
Assigned to: West Virginia Black Bears (rookie)
Jan Novak, Baltimore Orioles. Czech Republic.
Assigned to: DSL Orioles (rookie)
Sven Schuller, Los Angeles Dodgers. Germany.
Assigned to: AZL Dodgers (rookie)
Matz Schutte, Minnesota Twins. Netherlands.
Assigned to: GCL Twins (rookie)
Artur Strzalka, New York Yankees. Poland.
Ruar Verkerk, Minnesota Twins. Netherlands.
Assigned to: GCL Twins (rookie)
Released:
Joel Valera, Los Angeles Dodgers. Italy.