By Matthew Tallarini
World Baseball Network
The Federashon Di Beisbol Di Korsou announced on Saturday their 53-man pre-selection roster for the 2023 Caribbean Cup, which will be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico from October 1-8.
This event will affect the World Baseball Rankings for the next international baseball calendar cycle on December 31, 2023. Curacao is currently No. 27 in the most recent World Baseball Rankings released on August 15, moving up five slots from the previous rankings.
The Confederación del Caribe de Béisbol, which is part of the World Baseball Softball Confederation Americas sector, is hosting the event and the participants have yet to be announced. Other financial issues can affect other countries for not participating in this international senior regional event.
Curacao will have a similar roster to the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador, El Salvador, the 2023 Caribbean Series in Caracas, Venezuela, a club event not organized through the WBSC, and the 2022 Caribbean Cup in Nassau, Bahamas – the last three international senior events in which the country participated.
The Caribbean Cup preselection roster is filled with players that were recently released from professional organizations throughout the world, active international league professionals in Mexico, the Netherlands, Italy, Curacao’s professional leagues on the island at the Rookie, Single-A, and Double-A levels, independent leagues in the United States, and players currently active with Major League Baseball organizations at the minor league level along who aren’t on 40-man rosters.
The 2023 Caribbean Cup will provide an opportunity to evaluate talent for the Curacao Winter League’s 2023-24 season. The winner of the Curacao Baseball League will go onto play in the Caribbean Series in Miami at loanDepot Park from February 1-9.
This is the first time that the league has operated since the Santa Maria Pirates appeared in the 2019 Latin American Series.
The Santa Maria Pirates withdrew from the 2019 Latin American Series due to financial issues with the league and the federation, resulting in Mexico’s Liga Invernal Veracruzana sending another team, the Chileros de Xalapa, along with winner of that league’s season, the Tobis de Acayucan.
The Liga Invernal Veracruzana was also in operation with the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol until it went under hiatus prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The only appearance an organization appeared in the Latin American Series for Curacao was the 2018 tournament when the Wildcats won the league to appear in the event at Estadio Nacional Dennis Martinez in Managua, Nicaragua.
In February, Curacao appeared in the Caribbean Series for the first time with a roster that was filled with professionals from the island and non-citizens. They went 2-5, beating Panama’s ProBeis league’s Federales de Chiriqui 1-0 and Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacifico’s Cañeros de Los Mochis 2-1.
Curacao won the gold at the 2021 Caribbean Cup on home soil, won bronze at the 2022 Caribbean Cup to qualify for the 2023 Central American Games in San Salvador, placed silver at the 2022 Honkbal Haarlem Week Event, losing to the Kingdom of Netherlands in the gold medal game, and placed fifth at the 2023 Central American Games with a 3-3 record.
Curacao could potentially put together a national team for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, but would have to qualify for the event during 2025. The next WBSC Premier 12 tournament in 2024 will give an opportunity for Curacao’s officials to scout players in the Netherlands national team to have players from Curacao, who will play in the event for the Netherlands after the professional seasons in Major League Baseball, Liga Mexicana de Beisbol, Nippon Professional Baseball, Chinese Professional Baseball League, and the Korean Baseball Organization.
Curacao is currently the 12th-ranked nation in the WBSC Americas sector. The countries ahead of Curacao in the World Baseball Rankings are No. 24 Brazil, No. 18 Nicaragua, No. 16 Colombia, No. 14 Canada, No. 13. Puerto Rico, No. 11 Panama, No. 10 Dominican Republic, No. 8 Cuba, No. 6 Venezuela, No. 3 Mexico, and No. 2 the United States.
The coaching staff will be similar to all the previous tournaments and will be announced when the active roster is selected from Jedrek Magdalena, President of the Federashon Di Beisbol Di Korsou.
Curacao Preselection Roster 2023 Caribbean Cup
AA – Curacao Professional Federation League
LMB- Liga Mexicana de Beisbol
IBL – Serie A1- Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball – Italian Baseball League
KNBSB – Koninklijke Nederlandse Baseball en Softball Bond – Honkbal Hoofdklasse
PL – Pioneer League
CFA – Current Free Agent
Pitchers (Team)
Ruderly Manuel (Wildcats – AA)
Keorden Leito (Wildcats – AA)
Nigel Calmes (Wildcats – AA)
Cal Maduro (Wildcats – AA)
Siamani Boekhoudt (Santa Rosa Indians – AA)
Jordan Lucas (Santa Rosa Indians – AA)
Hershelon Juliana (Santa Rosa Indians – AA)
Lousandry Henriette (Santa Rosa Indians – AA)
Cerilio Soleana (Royal Scorpions – AA)
Temesh Lourens (Royal Scorpions – AA)
Je-Andrick Lourens (Royal Scorpions – AA)
Elchero Francisca (Royal Scorpions – AA)
Jhan Rifaela (Santa Marta Pirates – AA)
Marlison Brunken (Groot Kwartier Stars – AA)
Ryjeteri Merite (Marchena Braves – AA)
Denverick Martinus (Nettuno 1945 – IBL)
Nelmerson Angela (Amsterdam Pirates – KNBSB)
Sedley Karel (HCAW – KNBSB)
Christopher Koeiman (RCH Penguins – KNBSB)
Joharvi Martinus (CFA)
Arlinson Rodriguez (New York Mets)
Dylon Wilson (Seattle Mariners)
Angel Vilchez (Los Angeles Dodgers)
Raino Coran (Chicago Cubs)
Yizreel Burnett (Boston Red Sox)
Jamdrick Cornelia (New York Mets)
Infielders (Team)
Calten Daal (Santa Rosa Indians – AA)
Swindly Lint (Santa Rosa Indians – AA)
Raywendley Van Gurp (Royal Scorpions – AA)
Denzel Gregg (Santa Maria Pirates – AA)
Kevin Moesquit (Santa Maria Pirates – AA)
Andrelton Simmons (Marchena Braves – AA)
Dudley Leonora (San Marino – IBL)
Darren Seferina (Unipolasi Fortitudo Bologna – IBL)
Alexander Rodriguez (Wildcats – AA)
Outfielders (Team)
Rochendrick Alexander (Santa Rosa Indians – AA)
Aldair Daal (Santa Rosa Indians – AA)
Raysheandall Michel (Wildcats – AA)
Jamal Zalm (Wildcats – AA)
Roderick Bernadina (Royal Scorpions – AA)
Jonathan Martijn (Santa Maria Pirates – AA)
Sherwenne Antersijn (Santa Maria Pirates – AA)
Daytan Biegel (Marchena Braves – AA)
Ericson Leonora (San Marino – IBL)
Shakir Albert (Unipolsai Fortitudo Bologna – IBL)
Edmond Americaan (Rocky Mountain Vibes – PL)
Ademar Rifaela (Generales de Durango – LMB)
Kaylan Nicasia (Milwaukee Brewers)
Catchers (Team)
Ulrich Snijders (Wildcats – AA)
Stephan Vidal (Royal Scorpions – AA)
Jahzeel Groetelaers (Marchena Braves – AA)
Drexler Macaay (Groot Kwartier Stars – AA)
Ortwin Pieternella (San Marino – IBL)