The Santa Maria Pirates, the champions of Curaçao’s AA Championship in 2024, have named their roster for the Baseball Champions League Americas this week in Mexico City.
Offensively, the names will be recognizable to many. Jonathan Schoop is the clear cut leader among the position players. He played 11 seasons in Major League Baseball with the Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, and Milwaukee Brewers, where he hit 174 homers with an OPS of .721 in 1,188 games. He plays now in México with the Algodoneros de Union Laguna of the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol. In 2024, he had an OPS of .819 with 15 homers and will the big power bat for the Pirates.
Outfielder Jonathan Martijn will be another source of power in the Pirates’ lineup. He led the Curaçao AA league in homers in 2024 with seven and had an OPS of 1.061 and should be one of their stars offensively in this tournament.
Andrelton Simmons, who at his peak was one of the great defensive shortstop of his generation, has come out of a brief retirement to play in Baseball United and México in 2025 and will be playing for the Santa Maria Pirates in this tournament.
Scott Prins will be among the leaders of the pitching staff. Prins, who has pitched the last three seasons for the Amsterdam Pirates of the Honkbal Hoofdklasse, had a 1.42 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 19 innings for Amsterdam in 2024. He also pitched for Ottawa in the Frontier League in 2024 with a 5.96 ERA. He should be one of the top starters for Santa Maria in this tournament.
Another key starter will be Misja Harcksen. Harcksen, a former Los Angeles Dodgers farmhand, pitched for the Oosterhout Twins of the Honkbal Hoofdklasse in 2024. He had a 3.15 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 88 2/3 innings.
One other familiar name will be Wladimir Balentien. Former long time star of the Kingdom of the Netherlands WBC teams and has played in MLB and NPB, has retired and will be managing the Santa Maria Pirates in this tournament.
The Pirates will open up the tournament against the Kane County Cougars, the champions of the American Association, in the first game of the tournament, and they’ll finish pool play on Wednesday against the Leñadores de Las Tunas, the champions of Cuba.
Santa Maria Pirates 2025 BCL Americas Roster
Outfielders
Reyhan Facunda
Jiandido Tromp
Kevin Gibson
Jonathan Martijn
Infielders
Andrelton Simmons
Jonathan Schoop
Juremi Profar
Johannes Gregorius Jr.
Swindly Lint
Kevin Moesquit
Catchers
Ulrich Snijders
Dabertson Balentien
Pitchers
Jordan Lucas
Zairich Daal
Misja Harcksen
Cedeon Langguth
Djénoir Mogen
Jasper Popken
Sedley Karel
Scott Prins
Temesh Lourens
Álvaro Seijas
Edgar García
Carrol Servania
