(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Robert Bos & Henk Seppen)
 Neptunus acquires pitchers Tom de Blok and Ryan Huntington
Nederlands
 ROTTERDAM (Neth.) -
Curaçao Neptunus announced on its website that it has acquired two pitchers.
On Friday (September 30), the club reported that lefthanded pitcher Ryan Huntington and (shortly thereafter) righthander Tom de Blok both will play for the team in the 2023 season.
This year, Huntington played for Twins Oosterhout.
De Blok was on the roster of L&D Amsterdam Pirates, but didn't pitch due to an arm-injury.
The transfer-period ends on November 15.
...Ryan Huntington pitching for the...
...Netherlands Team during this...
...years Baseball Week Haarlem...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Regarding the addition of Ryan Huntington, Neptunus-Chairman Jorian van Acker stated:
,,In our view, Ryan Huntington is the best left-handed pitcher in the league.
Ryan has established himself at the top of the Netherlands this year.
Both for Twins and for Team Kingdom of The Netherlands, he proved to be a very strong pitcher.
We are happy to add such a good and talented player to our roster.
An important first link to further strengthen the selection in our hunt for a new league title in 2023.''
In the announcement of the coming of Tom de Blok, Van Acker said:
,,We are pleased that Tom de Blok will play for Curaçao Neptunus next season.
After the arrival of Ryan Huntington we again bring in a very good young pitcher with Tom.
We expect that together they will be a supporting force in the pitching staff in the coming years.
Before his injury, Tom was one of the best pitchers in the Netherlands.
We are confident that he will return to his old level and be of great value to Neptunus.''
On September 24, the club announced that now former player Greg Muller will head the coaching-staff in the new season as successor of Raily Legito.
This year, Neptunus almost finished in last place in the European Champions Cup-tournament and was swept in four games in the Holland Series by HCAW.
With that, the Rotterdam-team missed qualification for next years European Cup-tournament.
For Ryan Huntington, Neptunus will be his third club.
The lefthander made his debut in the Dutch big league in 2021 when he pitched for Hoofddorp Pioniers.
He then appeared in 15 games and was 5-5 with 71 strikeouts in 93 2/3 inning, finishing with a 4.13 ERA.
This season, Huntington pitched for Twins Oosterhout and threw in 14 games, all as starter.
He finished the regular season with a 4-9 record, striking out 71 batters in 90 1/3 inning.
Huntington led the pitching-staff in innings pitched and strikeouts.
During this years international Baseball Week Haarlem-tournament in Haarlem (Netherlands), Huntington made his debut in the Netherlands National Team.
...Tom de Blok pitching for Pirates in 2021...
(© Photo: Robert Bos) |
Tom de Blok signed his first professional contract at age 17 on August 26, 2013 with Seattle Mariners, while he played in the second team of Amsterdam Pirates.
But he returned home early after only a brief period in Minor League Spring Training.
However, as there was no spot for him on the Amsterdam-roster for the 2014 season, he instead was on the mound for HCAW, making his debut in the Dutch big league.
In his rookie-season, De Blok was 0-3 with a 3.20 ERA, making 17 appearances as reliever.
After the 2014 season, De Blok returned to Amsterdam Pirates for whom he then pitched in 2015 and 2016.
In his first season with Amsterdam, he was 4-0 with three saves and an 1.54 ERA, pitching in 20 games, one as a starter.
In 2016, De Blok again was a reliever, pitching in 26 games.
He was then 5-0 and led the Amsterdam-staff with an 0.88 ERA.
In April 2017, De Blok was signed by Detroit Tigers for whom he then pitched in the Minor Leagues in 2017, 2018 and 2019 at three Single-A levels.
When the entire Minor League-season was canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), De Blok pitched in the abbreviated Dutch big league-season for Amsterdam Pirates.
He then pitched in five games, all in relief, and was 1-0.
After he had become a Free Agent after the 2020 season, De Blok didn't return to the USA and again played for the Amsterdam-team in 2021.
In six games, he was 3-2 with an 1.64 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 33 innings.
On May 13, 2021, the righthander threw a 7-inning Perfect Game.
Shortly thereafter, in June of last year, De Blok participated with the Netherlands National Team in the WBSC Baseball Final Qualifier.
During that event in Mexico, the Orange Team didn't qualify the Olympic Games, but when the tournament had ended, De Blok signed a professional contract with Pericos de Puebla of the Liga Mexicana de Béisbol.
However, his Mexican career ended after only one start, as he was released seven days later due to an injury.
So, De Blok returned home to be with Amsterdam Pirates again, but he was sidelined due to his injury.
During last years Play-Offs against HCAW, the righthander made one brief appearance, throwing in one inning.
He then didn't play during the Holland Series against Curaçao Neptunus, which was won by Pirates.
This year, De Blok didn't play the entire season, as he was recovering from his elbow-injury.
(October 1)
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