Curaçao Neptunus and Tenerife Marlins head to Baseball Champions League Europe Group Rotterdam undefeated

The Baseball Champions League Europe Group Rotterdam will open on Friday, May 22, when Heidenheim Heidekoepfe (German Bundesliga) take the field against Nettuno 1945 (Italian Serie A Gold) at 14:00 (local time). The hosts, Curaçao Neptunus (Dutch Hoofdklasse), will face Tenerife Marlins (Spanish Division de Honor Oro) in the evening game at 19:00 (local time).

The three-day, round-robin Opening Round will see each team face each other once, with the top two finishers advancing to the 2026 Finals, which will be played from 26-27 September at a venue to be announced.

Here's a detailed look at the participating teams in Rotterdam.

Curaçao Neptunus won their 15th consecutive game in the 2026 Hoofdklasse on Saturday, May 16, when they defeated Kinheim, 3-2. Neptunus have a three-game lead over the Amsterdam Pirates. Former utility player Greg Muller is the manager.

Rotterdam have a dominating pitching staff. Veterans and former Major League Baseball (MLB) hurlers Shairon Martis and Carlos Sulbaran are the best-known players. Still, WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2021 star Koen Postelmans hasn't allowed an earned run in 26.2 innings.

Left-hander Ryan Huntington is the strongest asset out of the bullpen. He earned five saves without allowing a run and struck out nine in nine innings.

Right fielder Christian Diaz, a 36-year-old veteran from Aruba, has a .453 batting average. International baseball veteran third baseman Stijin Van der Meer and former Minor League Baseball (MiLB) left-handed outfielder Darryl Collins also have batting averages above .400.

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The Tenerife Marlins outscored the second-placed Valencia Astros, 11-1, in their last league game before the Baseball Champions League Europe. They won 16 games and now have a four-game lead over the Astros. Former Triple Crown winner Richard Montiel is the manager.

Centre fielder Frank Hernandez, who played at the Single-A level for MLB's Chicago Cubs, is dominating the league with a .500 batting average, three home runs and 22 RBIs. Third baseman Wander Encarnacion - who played for Team Europe at the Global Baseball Games 2024 in Osaka, Japan - has a .439 average and four home runs. Catcher Joel Borges has also experienced affiliated baseball in the USA.

The lineup counts on seasoned veterans, including 38-year-old outfielder Yancarlo Franco (.420 batting average and three home runs), National Team stars Lesther Galvan and Edison Valerio, and right fielder Orlando Levander, who played 976 games in Cuba's Serie Nacional.

Pablo Guillen (48 strikeouts in 32 innings), Elio Silva (0.62 ERA) and Gillian Wernet (0.38 ERA) are the main starters. National Team star Leslie Nacar, at 44, hasn't allowed a run in six games out of the bullpen. German 23-year-old prospect Lou Helmig played in the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2021. His grandfather, Claus, and father, Martin, are in the German Hall of Fame.

The Heidenheim Heidekoepfe lead the South Division of the 12-team Bundesliga with a 10-2 record and a one-game lead over the Regensburg Legionaere, the hosts of the other Baseball Champions League Europe group. They outscored the Stuttgart Reds in their last league game, 17-1. Klaus Eckle is the manager. His coaching staff includes Dutch former MiLB pitcher Mike Boelsenbrock.

The Heidekoepfe will add a pair of Dutch star players to their roster: right-hander Lars Huijer and utility infielder Delano Selassa. They both featured on Team Europe's roster at the Global Baseball Games 2024.

Former MLB right-hander Alex Sanabia is the ace of a pitching staff also including Canadian Logan Hofmann, Swedish National Team hurler Oskar Syren, and international veteran Jose Pimental, who developed in Venezuela but has Spanish citizenship. Left-hander Enorbel Marquez, aged 51, is also on the staff.

Former National Team star Simon Guhring is contributing as well despite being in his early forties. Infielders Philip Schulz and Simon Liedtke, former MiLB pitcher Sven Enter (formerly known as Sven Schueller), sidearm thrower Samuel Steigert, slugging outfielder Shawn Larry, and slugging third baseman and catcher William Germaine are also on the German National Team.

Nettuno 1945 is 8-4 in Group A of the 10-team Italian Serie A Gold, trailing first-place Parma, the league's Regensburg group representative, by one game. Nettuno won two games on the road against Collecchio in their last league weekend before the Baseball Champions League Europe. Former National League star Roberto De Franceschi is the manager.

The pitching staff of Nettuno struggled early in the season, and the club added Dutch WBSC Premier12 alum Pim Vijfvinkel to the roster. Dominican veteran Porfirio Lopez is 1-2, and Eliezer D'Amico hasn't contributed in his three starts, but has been one of the best hitters with a .375 batting average. Former Philadelphia Phillies prospect Alessandro Ciarla is recovering from an injury. Bruno Giacalone and Dutch National Team hurlers Scott Prins have been consistent in the bullpen.

Centre fielder Nathanael Batista and second baseman Jorge Aloma, who played 691 games in Cuba's Serie Nacional, have been consistent at the top of the batting order. First baseman Andres Annunziata has a .368 batting average. He represented Italy at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2021. Outfielder Riccardo Mazzanti represented Italy at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2025 presented by RAXUS.