Henricus "Rick" Nicolas van den Hurk (

Eindhoven Eindhoven () is a city and municipality in the Netherlands, located in the southern province of North Brabant of which it is its largest. With a population of 238,326 on 1 January 2022,professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Mod ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

who is currently a free agent. He has also pitched in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

(MLB) for the Florida Marlins,

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...

, and

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...

, in the

KBO League The KBO League (), officially the Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League, is the highest level league of baseball in South Korea. The KBO League was founded with six franchises in 1982 and is the most popular sports league in South Korea. The Kia Tigers ar ...

for the

Samsung Lions The Samsung Lions () are a South Korean professional baseball team founded in 1982. They are based in the southeastern city of Daegu and are members of the KBO League. Their home stadium is Daegu Samsung Lions Park. They have won the Korean Champ ...

and in

Nippon Professional Baseball or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''. Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation ...

(NPB) for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and

Tokyo Yakult Swallows The Tokyo Yakult Swallows () are a Japanese professional baseball team competing in Nippon Professional Baseball's Central League. Based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, they are one of two professional baseball teams based in Tokyo, the other being the Yom ...

. In international play, he is a member of the Netherlands national baseball team.

Early years

At the age of 16, van den Hurk was scouted by Chicho Jesurun when playing for the Oosterhout baseball team Twins, where his father was coach. He went to Fort Lauderdale Preparatory School where he graduated in 2003.

Professional career

Florida Marlins

van den Hurk was signed by the Florida Marlins as an international free agent in 2002. van den Hurk made his professional debut with the GCL Marlins in 2003, pitching to a 2-6 record and 5.35 ERA in 11 games. In 2004, Van den Hurk logged a 2-3 record and 3.26 ERA in 14 games for the High-A

Jupiter Hammerheads The Jupiter Hammerheads are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are located in the town of Jupiter, Florida, Jupiter in Palm Beach County, Florida, and play their home game ...

. He underwent ligament replacement surgery on his right arm in and pitched to a 2.83 ERA in 6 games between Jupiter and the Single-A Greensboro Grasshoppers. In , van den Hurk started five games for the Gulf Coast League Marlins in rookie ball and three more games for the

of High-A. In the rookie league, van den Hurk allowed just two runs on four hits in 15

innings An innings is one of the divisions of a cricket match during which one team takes its turn to bat. Innings also means the period in which an individual player bats (acts as either striker or nonstriker). Innings, in cricket, and rounders, is bot ...

of work, while

striking out ''Striking Out'' is an Irish television legal drama series, broadcast on RTÉ, that first aired on 1 January 2017. Produced by Bl!nder F!lms for RTÉ Television, ''Striking Out'' stars Amy Huberman as Dublin-based solicitor Tara Rafferty, who is ...

26 batters. With the Hammerheads, he allowed three earned runs on five hits through ten innings and striking out 15. Prior to his major league debut in , he had never pitched above Class-A. On April 9, 2007, van den Hurk was promoted to the Marlins from the Double-A Carolina Mudcats when pitcher Ricky Nolasco was placed on the disabled list. At the time of his debut, he was the youngest player in the

National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...

. He made his first major league appearance on April 10, starting against the

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...

. A rain delay cut his debut short after 4 innings, in which he allowed one earned run on five hits, with five strikeouts and three walks. Vandenhurk93

van den Hurk was sent back to Double-A after the team's April 24 loss to the

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...

. In his fourth appearance, he pitched just one inning while giving up six earned runs on four

hits Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * ''H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block * ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998 * ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014 - a British compilation album se ...

and four walks. Pitcher

Nate Field Nathan Patrick Field (born December 11, 1975) is an American former professional baseball scout for the Boston Red Sox, a member of Boston's professional scouting department, and a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. He bats and throw ...

was called up from Triple-A

Albuquerque Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...

to take his roster spot. On June 5, the Marlins called up van den Hurk to throw the second game of a double header. He went six innings without giving up a hit until Yunel Escobar hit a

double A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another. Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to: Film and television * Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character * Th ...

to lead off the 7th inning. He did not give up a run and earned his first win. He was sent again to Double-A on June 16. During the 2007 midseason, van den Hurk was selected to the

All-Star Futures Game The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game hosted by Major League Baseball (MLB) in conjunction with the mid-summer MLB All-Star Game. A team of American League-affiliated prospects competes against a team of National League ...

for which he received the win. He finished his rookie season with a 4-6 record and 6.83 ERA in 18 major league appearances. He began the 2008 season with the Double-A Carolina Mudcats, and was later promoted to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes. On July 22, 2008, he was recalled to the majors on to start against the

. He finished the 2008 season with a 7.71 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 14.0 innings pitched for Florida. He was assigned to the Triple-A

New Orleans Zephyrs New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

to begin the 2009 season. He was brought up again to join the rotation on July 20, 2009 when the Marlins sent struggling left-hander Andrew Miller to the minor leagues. His first opponent was the San Diego Padres with van den Hurk coming away the winner that day in a 3–2 game. He finished the 2009 season with a 3-2 record and 4.30 ERA in 11 appearances with the Marlins. During November 2009, van den Hurk pitched for Gigantes de Carolina of the Puerto Rico Baseball League, a Winter Baseball league. Van den Hurk made three starts going 0–0 with an ERA of 2.50 striking out 13 in 18 innings, while walking just one. He began the 2010 season with Triple-A New Orleans, and also made 2 appearances for the Marlins, surrendering 4 runs in 1.1 innings.

Baltimore Orioles

On July 31, 2010, van den Hurk was traded to the

in exchange for Will Ohman. He was assigned to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides. On August 16, van den Hurk was recalled to the major leagues, and logged a 4.96 ERA in 7 appearances for Baltimore. On March 30, 2011, van den Hurk was outrighted off of the 40-man roster. He was assigned to Norfolk to begin the year, and pitched to a 9-13 record and 4.43 in 26 games. On September 1, van den Hurk was selected to the active roster, and pitched in 4 games, struggling to an 8.00 ERA. On January 24, 2012, van den Hurk was designated for assignment by Baltimore. On February 3, 2012, he was released by the Orioles organization.

Cleveland Indians

On February 22, 2012 the

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...

signed van den Hurk to a split contract. van den Hurk was claimed off waivers by the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...

on March 21, 2012, but was designated for assignment by the team on March 29. van den Hurk was subsequently ourighted to the Triple-A

Columbus Clippers The Columbus Clippers are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. They are located in Columbus, Ohio, and are named for speedy Merchant ship, mercha ...

on April 4, 2012, but declined his minor league assignment and elected free agency two days later.

Pittsburgh Pirates

On April 11, 2012, van den Hurk signed a minor league contract with the

organization. He was assigned to the Triple-A

Indianapolis Indians The Indianapolis Indians are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and play their home games at Victory Field, which open ...

, and also appeared in 1 game for the High-A Bradenton Marauders, recording a 14-5 record and 3.06 ERA in 22 appearances. Van den Hurk was promoted to the Pirates on September 10, 2012. He appeared in 4 games for the Pirates, pitching to an 0-1 record in 2 innings. He was released on January 4, 2013 so he could pursue an opportunity in Korea.

Samsung Lions

On January 8, 2013, van den Hurk signed with the

of the

Korea Baseball Organization The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO; ko, 한국야구위원회) is the governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. The KBO was founded in 1981 and has governed two leagues: the KBO League ( ko, KBO 리그) and KBO ...

for 2013. On April 17, 2013, Van den Hurk made his KBO debut. In his first KBO season, he logged a 7-9 record and 3.95 ERA with 137 strikeouts in 143.2 innings pitched, and also won the

Korean Series The Korean Series is the final championship series of the KBO League. It has been held since the KBO League's first season in and is the final series of the post-season play-offs. From to 2013, the winner of the Korean Series went on to play in ...

with Samsung. In 2014, Van den Hurk finished with a 13–4 win–loss record, a 3.18 ERA (lowest ERA in KBO), and a league-high 180 strikeouts over 152 innings pitched. He won the Korean Series for the second consecutive year with Samsung and became a free agent after the season.

Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks

On December 26, 2014, van den Hurk signed a contract with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of

(NPB). On June 14, 2015, van den Hurk made his NPB debut. In 2015, he made 15 starts for the SoftBank Hawks, compiling a perfect 9-0 record, with a 2.52 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP. He struck out 120 batters in 93 innings pitched. In 2016, in his second season with the Hawks, van den Hurk recorded 14 consecutive wins from his first game at Hawks. This was

NPB or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''. Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation ...

's first record in 50 years. He finished 2016 with a 7-3 record in 13 starts, with a 3.84 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. He struck out 92 batters in 82 innings pitched. On January 4, 2017, he was selected as the Netherlands national baseball team in the

2017 World Baseball Classic The 2017 World Baseball Classic (WBC) was an international professional baseball competition, composed of 16 competing nations, held from March 6 to March 22, 2017. It was the fourth iteration of the World Baseball Classic. The first-round hosts ...

. In 2017, van den Hurk played in 25 games with a record of 13-7 with an ERA of 3.24 striking out 162 in 153 innings pitched. In 2018, he finished the regular season with a 10–7 Win–loss record, a 4.30 ERA, a 127 strikeouts in 138 innings. In the 2019 season, van den Hurk finished the regular season with a two games with two wins. On November 29, 2019, van den Hurk signed a 1-year extension to remain with the Hawks. In 2020, van den Hurk pitched to a 2-2 record and 6.92 ERA in 5 appearances for the Hawks. On December 2, 2020, he became a free agent.

Tokyo Yakult Swallows

On February 24, 2021, van den Hurk signed with

of NPB. van den Hurk was released by the Swallows on September 22, 2021.

References

External links

VandenHurk
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Henricus VandenHurk
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NPB.jp
{{DEFAULTSORT:Van den Hurk, Rick Hurk, Rick Hurk, Rick Albuquerque Isotopes players Baltimore Orioles players Bradenton Marauders players Carolina Mudcats players Hurk, Rick Hurk, Rick Hurk, Rick Florida Marlins players Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks players Gigantes de Carolina players Expatriate baseball players in Puerto Rico Greensboro Grasshoppers players Gulf Coast Marlins players Indianapolis Indians players Jupiter Hammerheads players KBO League pitchers Major League Baseball pitchers Hurk, Rick National baseball team players New Orleans Zephyrs players Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers Norfolk Tides players Pittsburgh Pirates players Samsung Lions players Hurk, Rick Tokyo Yakult Swallows players Waikiki Beach Boys players Hurk, Rick Hurk, Rick