Tom de Blok

Tom de Blok
Curaçao Neptunus
Pitcher
Born: (1996-05-08) 8 May 1996 (age 28) Amstelveen, Netherlands
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Medals Men's Baseball Representing  Netherlands European Baseball Championship 2016 Hoofddorp National team

Tom Robin de Blok (born 8 May 1996) is a Dutch professional baseball pitcher for the Curaçao Neptunus of the Honkbal Hoofdklasse. He played for Team Netherlands in the 2019 European Baseball Championship, and at the Africa/Europe 2020 Olympic Qualification tournament in Italy in September 2019.

On 26 August 2013, de Blok signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners after participating in the MLB European Academy in Germany.^[1][2] However, on 17 April 2014, de Blok formally retired from professional baseball, saying he was not happy with his experience in America.^[1][3]

Back in the Netherlands, de Blok joined Mr. Cocker HCAW in the Honkbal Hoofdklasse for the 2014 season. As a reliever, he had an 0–3 record with 2 saves and a 3.20 ERA in 17 games.^[4]

In 2015, de Blok joined the Amsterdam Pirates, where he posted a 4–0 record with 3 saves and a 1.54 ERA in 20 games. He had his best season in the Netherlands in 2016, going 5–0 with 5 saves and a 0.88 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 41 innings.^[4] After the season, de Blok had a two-day tryout with the Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). However, de Blok decided to return to the Pirates.^[5]

After his performance in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, de Blok signed a four-year minor league deal with the Detroit Tigers organization on 10 April 2017.^[6][2] He made his affiliated debut with the Single-A West Michigan Whitecaps, pitching once for the Low-A Connecticut Tigers in June. Working as both a starter and reliever, he had a combined 4–2 record and 2.74 ERA in 82 innings.^[7] He spent the first two months of 2018 with the High-A Lakeland Flying Tigers before being demoted back to West Michigan. He had a combined 5–6 record and 4.71 ERA in 19 starts. de Blok spent the all of the 2019 season with Lakeland, recording a 2–13 record and 4.04 ERA in 21 games.^[4] de Blok did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.^[8] On 2 November 2020, he elected free agency.^[9]

de Blok returned to the Amsterdam Pirates following his stint with the Tigers, logging a 2.00 ERA in 5 games with the team in 2020. In 2021, de Blok posted a 3–2 record and 1.64 ERA in 6 games with the team.^[4] On 14 May 2021, de Blok threw the fourth perfect game in the history of the Dutch Major Leagues, defeating Kinheim 12–0 and striking out seven batters.^[10]

On 27 June 2021, de Blok signed with the Pericos de Puebla of the Mexican League. He made just one start before he was released on 8 July.^[7] He suffered an arm injury after his one game with Puebla.^[11] He did not pitch in 2022 due to his injury.^[12]

On 1 October 2022, de Blok signed with Hoofdklasse club Neptunus in Rotterdam.^[12] In 2023, he resumed his effectiveness in the Dutch league, with a 7–0 record and 1.59 ERA in 14 starts.^[4] He threw a two-hit shutout on April 25.^[13] He equalled his performance in 2024, going 7–1 with a 1.33 ERA in 13 starts.^[4] He won two games in the Holland Series^[14] as Neptunus swept one of his former teams, HCAW.^[15]

de Blok was a member of the Netherlands national baseball team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic^[16] and the 2023 World Baseball Classic.^[17][18] His performance in the 2017 tournament led him to signing with the Detroit Tigers after the tournament.^[2][19]

He played for the Netherlands in other tournaments, including the 2016 European Baseball Championship, the Africa/Europe 2020 Olympic Qualification tournament, and the 2024 WBSC Premier12.^[20]

de Blok has two sons.^[21]

• Career statistics from Baseball Reference (Minors)