2024 Caribbean Series Preview: Curacao

With loanDepot park hosting the Caribbean Series beginning this Thursday, Fish On First will be introducing you to all seven participating teams. Next up: Curacao.

Although Curacao may not be the favorite to win the tournament, they certainly have a lot of big league ammo on the roster. That experience could take them a long way. They may be my personal darkhorse of this tournament given the chemistry that they have together. These players won't forget what happened when their Netherlands team was bounced early from the World Baseball Classic last year, so they will use that disappointment as motivation here.

Curacao's Roster

Marlins Connections

The only Marlins connection that lies in Curacao is former minor league pitcher Cody Mincey. Signed by the Marlins in 2021, Mincey made it up to AAA before he was eventually released.

Mincey hasn't pitched in winter ball games this season, but last year, he also represented Curacao in the Caribbean Series (3.46 ERA in 13.0 IP).

Other Notable Names

The last time Didi Gregorius was playing Major League Baseball, he was with the Philadelphia Phillies and was released and then signed with the Seattle Mariners on a minor league deal, but was never added to their big league roster. The last time Gregorius had a wRC+ over 100 in a full season, it was with the 2018 New York Yankees where he slashed .268/.335/.494/.829 with 27 home runs, 86 RBIs and a 122 wRC+.

Gregorius did play in the most recent World Baseball Classic with Netherlands where he slashed .250/.438/.250/.688 with three RBIs and four walks. He would only play four games as they failed to advance out of their pool.

Gregorius likely slots as the team's second baseman or designated hitter, depending where other players will go. He brings 28 games of experience at loanDepot park where he has slashed .290/.356/.409/.764 with two home runs and 10 RBIs.

Jurickson Profar has been able to stay at the big league level for parts of 10 seasons, but struggled in 2023 with the Colorado Rockies to the point where he was released midway through the season. As a Rockie, Profar slashed .236/.316/.364/.680 with eight home runs, 39 RBIs and a 76 wRC+. Profar went back to San Diego and in 14 games, he slashed .295/.367/.409/.776 with one home run, four RBIs and a 120 wRC+.

Profar did see action in all games of the 2023 World Baseball Classic where he went 3-for-13 and had one home run and one RBI. He should be in left field for the Curacao Suns.

Profar's brother, Juremi, should slot in as the team's first baseman or third baseman.

Sharlon Schoop, brother of Jonathan Schoop, will be participating in the Caribbean Series. Schoop slashed .417/.517/.417/.934 with two RBIs and five walks during last year's Caribbean Series (seven games played). In seven minor league seasons, Schoop slashed .237/.300/.332/.632 with 40 home runs and 287 RBIs. Schoop was on the Netherlands roster in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, but he went 0-for-2 in the two games he played. Schoop should be used in the infield.

Recently retired from MLB, Andrelton Simmons plans to have one last go at it with his home country as he will likely be the starting shortstop. Simmons only baseball played in 2023 was in the World Baseball Classic where he slashed .182/.182/.182/.364 in 11 at-bats and four games played.

The starting catcher seems to be Hendrik Clementina who has found success with the Cardenales De Lara this season, slashing .283/.333/.478/.811 with two home runs and eight RBIs in 14 games played. This past season, Clementina was in the Atlanta Braves organization at the AA and AAA level. Between both levels, he slashed .255/.321/.367/.689 with one home run and 14 RBIs.

On the pitching side of things, Wendall Floranus pitched in the 2023 World Baseball Classic for Netherlands where in two games, he posted a 0.00 ERA and struck out one. In his last taste of winter ball action, Floranus threw in 11 games where he posted a 2.38 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, nine strikeouts and 12 walks in 11 ⅓ innings pitched.

Another pitcher that was with the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic is Kevin Kelly, who in three games posted a 4.15 ERA, 1.85 WHIP, three strikeouts and two walks.

Shairon Martis was on the Washington Nationals in 2008-09 and then the Minnesota Twins in 2013. Through his three years, he posted a 5.35 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, seven strikeouts and four walks in 116 innings pitched. Martis has been in the past four World Baseball Classics, all with the Netherland where in total, he had a 1.80 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 11 strikeouts and eight walks in 25 innings pitched.

Other pitchers who were on the WBC team for the Netherlands or have had Major League experience include Eric Mendez (WBC), Shea Spitzbarth (MLB), Juan Carlos Sulbaran (WBC) and Franklin Van Gurp (WBC).

The only other pitcher that stands out is Jonah Scolaro, who is in the Chicago White Sox organization and is coming off of a season where he posted a 4.80 ERA, 1.399 WHIP and 69 ⅓ innings pitched. He found more success at AA where he had a 3.72 ERA, 4.42 FIP, 10.67 K/9 and a 5.17 BB/9 in 55 ⅔ innings pitched. He also went to Florida State.

Serie del Caribe Schedule

• February 1 at México, 3:30 p.m.
• February 2 vs. Panamá, 10:30 a.m.
• February 3 vs. Venezuela, 10:30 a.m.
• February 5 vs. Nicaragua, 10:30 a.m.
• February 6 at Dominican Republic, 3:30 p.m.
• February 7 at Puerto Rico, 10:30 a.m.