The Royal Dutch Baseball and Softball Association (KNBSB) announced on Friday that former national team catcher Tjerk Smeets is taking over as Technical Director for KNBSB on February 1, 2018. The 37-year-old Amsterdam native had been working as team manager of the soccer club AFC Ajax Amsterdam the past four and a half years. Between 2010 and 2013 he already worked for KNBSB as marketing manager.