Scott Plack, The Cajun Chronicles
June 3rd, 2031
One thing is for sure; the weather certainly isn't the same.
Other than both being below sea level, you wouldn't think there is much in common between the Netherlands and Louisiana's largest city, but with the growing baseball infrastructure, especially around the major cities thanks to a spike in popularity, there has been an increasing influx of young Dutch baseball talent in PEBA and particularly New Orleans which, thanks to the play of rookie sensation Louis Kossan, cannot be ignored any longer.
Who are these Dutch hotshoes? Well, let's take a look.
Louis Kossan
The 24-year-old from Heerhugowaard, 30 miles north of Amsterdam, has been a sensation in the Trendsetters lineup this season. After a great high school career in the Netherlands, Kossan took the unconventional route and moved half way around the world to Japan, to attend Keio University. Majoring in Economics, Kossan blossomed into a superstar for the Keio Unicorns, batting .365 over 4 seasons and making the ICOL All-Star Game all 4 seasons, including a championship win in his senior year.
In 2028, Kossan was selected 25th overall by the Trendsetters, and wasted no time burning through the minor leagues. After only 2.5 seasons and 324 games in the minors, Kossan surprised many by cracking New Orleans' opening day roster this season. Since arriving, he has not disappointed, batting .274 so far this season. Recently, the switch-hitter has taken over the lead-off spot on the team, further adding responsibitily to his young shoulders .. but so far, nothing seems to faze the likable young star. He is certainly a player to watch in the future.
Paul de Kook
Despite growing up just a few towns over from Kossan, Paul de Kook played high school baseball on the other side of the world in Cuba, as his father, Martijn, worked at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base as a guard. In 2027, de Kook played well enough at Guantanamo High to be drafted straight out of high school by the Trendsetters and went direct to Short-A baseball at age 19. Over the next few seasons, de Kook has been one of the great pitching prospects for the Trendsetters, currently playing AA ball in Delaware. If all goes well, the 22-year-old de Kook will eventually join his countryman on the Trendsetters roster in the coming seasons.
Frank van der Kamp
Hailing from the southern portion of the country, close to the Belgian border, Frank van der Kamp did much like Louis Kossan and flew the other side of the world to Outback State University in Queenstown, Tasmania in Australia to further his education and baseball career. Even though he was a solid baseball player for Outback State, he was a superb student, and completed his Bachelors in Mathematics 'with High Distinction'.
Still, even though he was focusing more on his schooling than baseball up to that point, van der Kamp couldn't resist attempting a pro baseball career, and New Orleans selected him in the 10th round in 2028. He has since become a fast and dependable defensive infielder in the minors. He has struggled at the plate, but if he can improve his batting skills, he still has a chance to make it to the major leagues.
Leen van Kooten
The oldest of the 'Orange Crush' crew, Leen van Kooten was a team-mate of Louis Kossan at Keio University. He didn't set the place ablaze quite like Kossan, but van Kooten proved to be a solid outfielder in his senior year on the team, batting .262 in the 27 games he played. He was drafted in the 12th round in 2027, and continued his solid play on the Trendsetters' Short-A squad. Now, 4 years later, like fellow Dutch players de Kook and van der Kamp, he is playing on the AA Delaware Diamonds. Now in his third season on the team, and age 26, it is unclear if he will make it all the way to the major leagues, but he is a steady presence, and adds yet more Dutch flair to the New Orleans organization.
Donald Wijkhuise
A player that is still little-known, as last year's 6th round pick, Donald Wijkhuise is still raw. He was still trying to hone his skills in high school, but he has decent ability as an outfielder, and can run. Despite low numbers in high school, Wijkhhuise went from a sub-200 average in high school, to a more respectable .225 average in his first pro season. He is still young, but he works hard and is a top-notch personality, so there could still be a diamond in the rough in this young prospect.
Honorable mention :
Manuel Wassink (Aruba)
Although not from the Netherlands proper, another Dutch-speaking player in the Trendsetters system is still part of the 'Kingdom of the Netherlands': Manuel Wassink of Aruba. Currently the oldest of the injection of Dutch players, Wassink grew up in Aruba in the Caribbean, but like many hopefuls from this part of the world, moved to the USA to further his baseball career. After an electrifying career at Sarasota High, he then became a force for Seton Hall in College. Drafted in the 4th round in the 2020 draft, Wassink powered through the minor leagues and made his major league debut as a 26-year-old in 2025. Over the last 6 seasons, Wassink has been a dependable infielder for both the big club (for which he played 272 major league games and batted .272 so far), and the Trendsetters' AAA club in Fayetteville.
As the 2031 season continues, keep an eye on this exciting group of youngsters, as they could start to gather on the Trendsetters roster in the coming seasons.
