(Photo by Gene Wang/Getty Images)
The Koninklijke Nederlandse Baseball en Softball Bond announced on Tuesday that Hensley Meulens will not return as manager for the senior national team after managing during the 2023 World Baseball Classic in March.
Meulens has helped the Netherlands reach the World Baseball Classic semifinals twice during his managerial career in 2013 and 2017 and has managed in the World Baseball Softball Confederation Premier 12 tournament in 2015 and 2019 for the only two international senior events that he has managed for the nation.
“We are grateful to Hensley for his efforts and dedication over a very long period of time. His ability to create a strong team spirit and take our players to the next level has provided our sport with unforgettable moments and successes,” Peter Kwakernaak, Technical Director of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Baseball en Softball Bond stated on the federation’s website.
Meulens was a part of the Netherlands coaching staff during the 2004 Olympics, the 2006 World Baseball Classic, and the 2009 World Baseball Classic prior to being at the helm as the manager during the 2013 WBC.
Meulens managed in 40 international games in his managerial career.
Meulens won three championships for the San Francisco Giants as their hitting coach in 2010, 2012, and 2014 and held the position with the organization until the end of the 2019 regular season.
Meulens served as the hitting coach for the New York Mets during the 2020 season until he was fired shortly after the short 60 game regular season as Dave Jauss replaced him going into the 2021 season.
He was hired as the New York Yankees Assistant Hitting Coach on February 28, 2022 prior to the start of the 2022 regular season.
After the 2022 regular season, Meulens was hired by the Colorado Rockies to be their hitting coach on November 7, 2022. Meulens is currently entering his second consecutive season as the Rockies hitting coach.
Meulens played in 35 international games including the 2000 Olympics during his playing career before managing the Netherlands national team.
Meulens played in 11 seasons in between Major League Baseball, the Korean Baseball Organization, Nippon Professional Baseball, and Liga Mexicana de Beisbol during his career with the New York Yankees from 1989-93, Chiba Lotte Marines in 1994, the Yakult Swallows from 1995-96, Montreal Expos in 1997, Arizona Diamondbacks in 1998, SK Wyverns in 2000, Saraperos de Saltillo in 2001, and the Pericos de Puebla in 2002. He has won one Japan Series title during his playing career in 1995 with Yakult Swallows.
The KNBSB will have to search for another manager for their senior national team prior to the start of the Premier 12 tournament, which will operate from November 10-24 after the 2024 regular seasons in Major League Baseball, the Korean Baseball Organization, Liga Mexicana de Beisbol, the Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan and Nippon Professional Baseball.
The Netherlands is ranked 7th in the World Baseball Rankings through the WBSC. The next change over of the WBR will be on December 31, 2023 with the final 12 teams announced for the Premier 12 tournament. The Premier 12 tournament will be the only international senior event during the 2024 global baseball calendar cycle.
