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
Gold medal – first place 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.

Career

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Seattle Mariners

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On 26 August 2013 de Blok signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners organization. However, on 17 April 2014, de Blok retired from professional baseball without playing in a game for the organization.[1]

Mr. Cocker HCAW

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de Blok came out of retirement to join Mr. Cocker HCAW for the 2014 season, a team in the Honkbal Hoofdklasse, the top baseball league in the Netherlands, where he posted a 3.20 ERA in 17 appearances.

Amsterdam Pirates

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The following season, de Blok joined the Amsterdam Pirates, where he posted a 4-0 record and 1.54 ERA in 20 games with the team.[2] After the season, de Blok was offered a tryout with the Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), the top baseball league in Japan. After the tryout de Blok decided to return to the Pirates.[3] That season, he recorded a 5-0 record and 0.88 ERA with 43 strikeouts in 41.0 innings of work.

Detroit Tigers

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After a good 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.[4] He made his affiliated debut for the Low–A Connecticut Tigers, and after pitching 3+23 scoreless innings, was promoted to the Single–A West Michigan Whitecaps, where he spent the rest of the season, posting a 4-2 record and 2.87 ERA with a 1.02 WHIP in 82 innings pitched.[5] de Blok spent the 2019 season with the High–A Lakeland Flying Tigers, recording a 2-13 record and 4.04 ERA in 21 games. 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.[6] On 2 November 2020 he elected free agency.[7]

Amsterdam Pirates (second stint)

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De Blok returned to the Amsterdam Pirates following his stint with the Tigers organization after 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. On 14 May 2021 de Blok threw the fourth perfect game in the history of the Dutch Major Leagues, defeating Corendon Kinheim 12-0 while striking out seven.[8]

Pericos de Puebla

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On 27 June 2021 de Blok signed with the Pericos de Puebla of the Mexican League.[5] He made just one start before he was released on 8 July.[5]

Curaçao Neptunus

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On 1 October 2022, de Blok signed with the Curaçao Neptunus of the Honkbal Hoofdklasse.[9]

International career

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de Blok was a member of the Netherlands national baseball team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.[10]

He played for Team Netherlands in the 2019 European Baseball Championship, at the Africa/Europe 2020 Olympic Qualification tournament in Italy in September 2019.

He represented the Netherlands national baseball team at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.[11]

References

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  1. ^ "Tom de Blok Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com.
  2. ^ L&D Amsterdam | Amsterdam pirates Archived 3 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Tom de Blok stays with L&D Amsterdam Pirates - MOSAE SPORTS
  4. ^ "Tom de Blok signs deal with the Detroit Tigers". The Dutch Baseball Hangout. 3 April 2017. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  5. ^ a b c "Tom de Blok Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  6. ^ "2020 Minor League Season Canceled". 30 June 2020.
  7. ^ "Full List of 2020-2021 MiLB Free Agents". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  8. ^ "Tom de Blok throws fourth perfect game in Dutch baseball league history".
  9. ^ "Neptunus acquires pitchers Tom de Blok and Ryan Huntington". catcher.home.xs4all.nl. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  10. ^ Teams release World Baseball Classic rosters | theScore.com
  11. ^ "Grote namen in voorselectie Koninkrijksteam voor World Baseball Classic – HonkbalSoftbal.nl". HonkbalSoftbal.nl (in Dutch). 10 January 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
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