by DZ

Welcome to the first 2016 edition tracking European minor leaguers. All current major or minor league players developed in European baseball are listed here. Please let us know of anyone missing.

We’d like to honor those who have been on this list, but whose affiliated baseball careers are at least temporarily over. Players released over the offseason or earlier this spring:



Maik Ehmcke Germany

Julsan Kamara Germany

Alex Liddi Italy

Marek Minarik Czech Republic

Jan Novak Czech Republic

Milan Post Netherlands

Markus Solbach Germany

The big news of the week is the call-up of Max Kepler to the Minnesota Twins. Kepler spent all of last season in Double-A (winning league MVP honors), with a late-season call-up to The Show. He opened this season at Triple-A for all of two games before being summoned to Target Field.



MLB –

Didi Gregorius, New York Yankees. Netherlands.

Current team: New York Yankees (MLB)

The Yankees starting shortstop is hitting .333 through the first week+ of the season, including a home run and a stolen base.

Max Kepler, Minnesota Twins. Germany.

Current team: Minnesota Twins (MLB)

Kepler got one hit and two RBIs at Triple-A before getting an early call to the big leagues. He made his debut last September and recorded his first big league hit on the last day of the regular season in 2015. Kepler has had four at bats this season with the Twins with one walk.

Triple A –

Loek van Mil, Minnesota Twins. Netherlands.

Current team: Rochester Red Wings (AAA)

The seven-footer from Oss signed again with the Twins last summer after over 10 years in professional baseball with a few MLB organizations and a season in Japan before returning to the Dutch Hoofdklasse for 2015. He’s had a tough first pair of outings in Rochester, giving up 4 runs, 7 hits, and 3 walks in a pair of 2/3 inning outings.

Roger Bernadina, New York Mets. Netherlands.

Current team: Las Vegas 51s (AAA)

Bernadina is with his 6th MLB organization in the last 4 years, continuing to provide solid offense and defense in the outfield at AAA and the big league level. He’s played four games thus far in the Mets organization, collecting a double, a home run, and a stolen base.

Double A –

Dovydas Neverauskas, Pittsburgh Pirates. Lithuania.

Current team: Altoona Curve (AA)

Neverauskas jumped to High-A towards the end of last season and excelled, and he was aggressively pushed again this spring with another leap to Double-A. He’s given up five runs in his first 3 appearances over 3 innings’ pitched.

Single-A –

Daniel Arribas, Pittsburgh Pirates. Netherlands.

Current team: West Virginia Power (Low-A)

Arribas, who was a member of the championship short-season team last summer, gets his first taste of full-season minor league baseball. He’s gotten 3 hits thus far through seven games played.

Federico Celli, Los Angeles Dodgers. Italy.

Current team: Great Lakes Loons (Low-A)

Celli returns to Great Lakes, and has played two games to date with a walk and an RBI.

Martin Cervenka, Cleveland Indians. Czech Republic.

Current team: Lake County Captains (Low-A)

Cervenka also goes back to the Midwest League. He’s played 3 games thus far, collecting three hits and a walk.

Marten Gasparini, Kansas City Royals. Italy.

Current team: Lexington Legends (Low-A)

Gasparini is also making his first jump into full-season baseball. The heralded shortstop has two doubles and two stolen bases in his first six games.

Andy Paz, Oakland Athletics. France.

Current team: Stockton Ports (High-A)

Paz has appeared in two games this far at the High-A level, getting two hits in five at bats.

Players who haven’t yet appeared in 2016 are listed below. They are likely in extended spring training playing unofficial games until short-season leagues start in June.

Pascal Amon, Los Angeles Dodgers. Germany.

Vadim Balan, Minnesota Twins. Moldova.

Paul Brands, Pittsburgh Pirates. Netherlands.

Sam Buelens, Toronto Blue Jays. Belgium.

Taylor Clemensia, Minnesota Twins. Netherlands.

Nicolo Clemente, Boston Red Sox. Italy.

Leonardo Colagrossi, Philadelphia Phillies. Italy

Rachid Engelhardt, Baltimore Orioles. Netherlands.

Federico Giordani, Los Angeles Dodgers. Italy.

Misja Harcksen, Los Angeles Dodgers. Netherlands.

Nadir Ljatifi, Cincinnati Reds. Germany.

Alberto Mineo, Chicago Cubs. Italy.

Ramon Rosso, Los Angeles Dodgers. Spain.

Sven Schuller, Los Angeles Dodgers. Germany.

Matz Schutte, Minnesota Twins. Netherlands.

Claudio Scotti, Pittsburgh Pirates. Italy.

Artur Strzalka, New York Yankees. Poland.

Ruar Verkerk, Minnesota Twins. Netherlands.