WILLEMSTAD – Dutch national team coach Evert-Jan ’t Hoen has selected Didi Gregorius for the Netherlands Kingdom Team in their upcoming games against Japan on March 5 and 6 in Osaka. The 35-year-old Curaçaoan shortstop, who previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB), has been competing in the Mexican league since last year. 

Gregorius, who played in the MLB from 2012 to 2022 for the Cincinnati Reds, Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Yankees, and Philadelphia Phillies, currently plays as a shortstop for Algodoneros de Unión Laguna in Mexico. His return to the Dutch national team is seen as a significant boost as the squad prepares for the European Championship later this year and the 2026 World Baseball Classic. 

The Dutch MLB players will not be participating in the Osaka games, as they are only permitted to join for the World Baseball Classic, where the Netherlands has already secured qualification. Japan, the reigning Olympic champion and winner of the last World Baseball Classic, is expected to be a formidable opponent in the upcoming matches.