by DZ

Berlin native & former Buchbinder Legionaere player Max Kepler leads all of baseball in home runs over the last 30 games… Dutchman Sir Didi extends his hitting hot streak… Dovydas Neverauskas is on the doorstep of the major leagues and is making a case for a call-up… Andy Paz, Daniel Arribas, Martin Cervenka, and Alberto Mineo are all catchers (from 4 different European countries) who have hit well and received regular playing time over the last few weeks… Italians Claudio Scotti, Stijn van der Meer and Alessandro Ciarla debuted… Taylor Clemensia recorded 14 outs in his last appearance, and 10 of them were by strikeout.

Note that only players who were partially or fully developed in the European baseball system are listed here.

MLB –

Didi Gregorius, New York Yankees. Netherlands.

Current team: New York Yankees (MLB)

Gregorius has hits in all but two of his last 15 starts, and he had a home run last night versus the crosstown Mets. He is hitting .291/.318/.453 on the year with 11 home runs and 5 stolen bases as the starting shortstop for the Yankees.

Max Kepler, Minnesota Twins. Germany.

Current team: Minnesota Twins (MLB)

Max Kepler is making a name for himself. He’s hit 4 home runs in his last two games and has the most in all of MLB over the last five weeks (15 in total this season). He also had 3 walks and 3 runs scored in last night’s game. For the season he is now hitting .259/.342/.561 with the previously mentioned 15 home runs to go with 46 RBI, 36 runs, and 3 stolen bases.

Triple A –

Roger Bernadina, New York Mets. Netherlands.

Current team: Las Vegas 51s (AAA)

Bernadina has hit .259 with 3 home runs and a stolen base in his last 10 games. He’s at .298/.379/.484 on the year with 34 extra base hits, 37 walks and 66 strikeouts, and he is 13-for-17 in stolen bases.

Donald Lutz, Cincinnati Reds. Germany.

Current team: Louisville Bats (AAA)

Lutz has played a single game in the last two weeks, getting a hit in four at bats before going on the disabled list. He’s hitting .199 for the year.

Dovydas Neverauskas, Pittsburgh Pirates. Lithuania.

Current team: Indianapolis Indians (AAA)

Neverauskas has been pitching 1-2 innings per appearance in Indianapolis, and he has allowed a single run in his last 10 appearances, striking out 13 and walking 4. The one game he did allow a run, he was also credited with the win. His season ERA is 2.12, and it stands at 1.45 in Triple-A.

Double-A

Andy Paz, Oakland Athletics. France.

Current team: Midland Rockhounds (AA)

Paz has 6 hits in his last two games, and is 7-for-10 in his last four games played. He is hitting .419 over his last 10 games, and for the year is now at .298/.370/.377 with 14 walks, 17 strikeouts, and 3 stolen bases without being caught.

Single-A –

Markus Solbach, Arizona Diamondbacks. Germany.

Current team: Visalia Rawhide (High-A)

Solbach was 1-1 in four appearances over the last two weeks. He had three good starts (5, 5, & 6 innings allowing 0, 2, & 1 earned run) and one poor one (4 IP, 8 earned runs) that skews his numbers. He has struck out 22 and walked 5 in 25 innings pitched since re-signing, with an ERA just over 6.

Daniel Arribas, Pittsburgh Pirates. Netherlands.

Current team: West Virginia Power (Low-A)

Arribas consistently produces at the plate, having hit between .266-.308 every year since his first full season in 2012. Take away his first partial season in 2011, and his on base has never been lower than .357 while playing a premium position (catcher) and filling in elsewhere around the diamond. Only twice since April has he gone 3 games without a hit, and he’s got a current 4-game hit streak going at the time of writing. Arribas has logged 323 at bats this season, and he’s hitting .266/.380/.433.

Martin Cervenka, Cleveland Indians. Czech Republic.

Current team: Lake County Captains (Low-A)

After a week and four games in High-A, the Indians returned Cervenka to Low-A Lake County. He made a statement at the higher level, leaving with a .545 batting average, and has continued with the hot bat – he is hitting .308 in his last 10 games while playing nearly every day. He has already logged 224 at bats this season, more than in any previous year. He is hitting .254/.319/.388.

Marten Gasparini, Kansas City Royals. Italy.

Current team: Lexington Legends (Low-A)

Gasparini has a home run and a stolen base while hitting .250 in his last 10 games. In 292 at bats, he has 11 stolen bases (in 20 attempts), 20 walks, 105 strikeouts, and is hitting .205.

Alberto Mineo, Chicago Cubs. Italy.

Current team: South Bend Cubs (Low-A)

Mineo is getting regular playing time for the first time in a long time, and is making the most of it. The left-handed hitting catcher is hitting .361 in his last 10 games (in 12 days). He’s had more at-bats in that time than in the rest of the season combined – for the year, Mineo has 56 at bats, 17 hits, 9 walks, and 11 strikeouts. He’s now slashing .304/.400/.411.

Rookie –

Paul Brands, Pittsburgh Pirates. Netherlands.

Current team: GCL Pirates (rookie)

Brands has 3 multi-hit games in his last 10, scoring 4 runs and stealing a base. In 20 games and 70 at bats, he’s hitting .257/.338/.300 with 3 stolen bases.

Taylor Clemensia, Minnesota Twins. Netherlands.

Current team: GCL Twins (rookie)

Clemensia had a gem his last time out, pitching 4.2 innings, allowing 2 hits and one walk while striking out ten. Two outings earlier he’d pitched 3.2 no-hit innings while striking out five. In 25 innings over 6 games, the Dutch lefty has allowed 9 hits and 17 walks while striking out 29. His ERA stands at 1.78.

Nicolo Clemente, Boston Red Sox. Italy.

Current team: GCL Red Sox (rookie)

Clemente has three appearances in the last two weeks, two without any runs scoring while the Rays scored 6 against him in 1.2 innings in between. Over his 8 appearances and 12 innings, he’s 1-0 with an 8.25 ERA and 3 saves while striking out 9, walking 4, hitting three, and allowing 21 hits for 11 runs.

Misja Harcksen, Los Angeles Dodgers. Netherlands.

Current team: AZL Dodgers (rookie)

Harcksen has 5 appearances in the last two weeks, pitching 8 innings, allowing 4 runs while walking one and striking out nine. He is 3-0 with a 3.86 ERA, with 25 strikeouts and 4 walks in 18.2 innings.

Nadir Ljatifi, Cincinnati Reds. Germany.

Current team: AZL Reds (rookie)

Ljatifi has 2 hits and 5 walks in 7 games over the last two weeks. He’s hitting .173 in 15 games.

Sven Schuller, Los Angeles Dodgers. Germany.

Current team: Ogden Raptors (short-A)

Schuller has had four outings, pitching 6 innings and allowing 6 runs over the past two weeks. He has walked 6 and struck out 10 in 15 innings overall with a 6.60 ERA.

Matz Schutte, Minnesota Twins. Netherlands.

Current team: GCL Twins (rookie)

The righty from Almere has 3 appearances in the last two weeks, walking 4 and striking out 4 with 5 hits in 2.2 innings. He is 1-0 with a 4.40 ERA in 9 games, 14.1 IP, 12 hits, 6 walks, and 11 strikeouts.

Claudio Scotti, Pittsburgh Pirates. Italy.

Current team: GCL Pirates (rookie)

Scotti has pitched in his first 3 professional games, allowing 3 hits and a walk in 4 innings while striking out two.

Artur Strzalka, New York Yankees. Poland.

Current team: GCL Yankees West (rookie)

Strzalka has four appearances in the last two weeks, pitching a total of 5.2 innings with 5 hits and 5 walks, as well as 2 strikeouts while gaining a win and a loss on his record. In 8 games and 12.2 innings, he has a 4.26 ERA with 14 free passes and 7 strikeouts.

Pascal Amon, Los Angeles Dodgers. Germany.

Current team: DSL Dodgers 1 (rookie)

The German lefty has 3 multi-hit games in the last two weeks, hitting .400 across his last 10 games. In 39 games and 114 at bats, he’s walked 25 times, struck out 23, and stolen 5-of-9 bases to slash .237/.383/.342.

Sam Buelens, Toronto Blue Jays. Belgium.

Current team: DSL Blue Jays (rookie)

Buelens has played in only four games over the last two weeks. In 16 games, he’s hitting .171 with a .396 on-base.

Alessandro Ciarla, Philadelphia Phillies. Italy.

Current team: DSL Phillies 2 (rookie)

The Italian righty debuted and has now pitched 3 times and 4.2 innings. He’s allowed one hit (a home run) while striking out three.

Ludovico Coveri, Philadelphia Phillies. Italy.

Current team: DSL Phillies 1 (rookie)

Coveri has now pitched in five games since signing earlier this spring. In 7.2 innings he has allowed 4 runs while walking 4 and striking out 1.

Rachid Engelhardt, Baltimore Orioles. Netherlands.

Current team: DSL Orioles 1 (rookie)

Engelhardt is hitting .176 in his last 10 games, stealing two bases. In 33 games and 101 at bats, He has 9 walks, 12 strikeouts, and 4 stolen bases in 7 attempts. He’s hitting .248/.322/.317.

Federico Giordani, Los Angeles Dodgers. Italy.

Current team: DSL Dodgers 2 (rookie)

Giordani hit .294 and stole a base in his last 10 games. In 36 games and 115 at bats, he has 7 extra base hits, 17 walks, 32 strikeouts, and 5 stolen bases in 14 attempts for a .217/.326/.304 slash line.

Stijn Van der Meer, Netherlands. Houston Astros.

Current team: GCL Astros (rookie)

After a successful career at first Eastern Oklahoma State, then Lamar University, the Rosmalen native and UVV player was drafted by the Astros and has four hits in his first two games.

Yet to appear in 2016:

Vadim Balan, Minnesota Twins. Moldova.

Current team: GCL Twins (rookie)

Leonardo Colagrossi, Philadelphia Phillies. Italy.

Current team: DSL Phillies 1 (rookie)

Ramon Rosso, Los Angeles Dodgers. Spain.

Current team: DSL Dodgers 1 (rookie)