Artuur Driessens

Artuur Driessens

• Bats Right, Throws Right

• Born June 27, 1996

Biographical Information

Artuur Driessens has pitched in the First Division and for the Belgian national team.

In the 2013 U18 European Championship, he was 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA, taking the loss against France despite a solid relief effort after taking over for Matthew De Permentier. He was 1 for 4 with a walk and a RBI on offense. He debuted for the Brasschaat Braves that summer, posting a 4.70 ERA over three outings. In 2014, he again pitched three games, going 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA. The next year, he was Brasschaat's second-most-used pitcher (17 G, behind De Permentier) and was 5-5 with a 4.85 ERA. Among their starters, only Terrence Antonacci had a better ERA.

Driessens fell to 3-1, 6.46 for the 2016 Braves. He posted a 10-5, 5.16 record in 2017, finishing 5th in the First Division in IP (97 2/3), tying for 2nd in wins (2 behind Kenny Vandenbranden), tying Nicolas Migeot for 7th in losses and tying for 3rd in starts (16). He was 7-4 with a 3.38 ERA during the 2018 First Division, placing on the leaderboards in ERA (8th, between Ben Van Nuffel and Migeot), innings (101 1/3, 5th, between Antonacci and Vandenbranden), strikeouts (55, 8th), wins (tied for 5th with Van Nuffel), games pitched (16, 7th) and starts (14, tied for 5th). In the 2018 Federations Cup, he beat Slovakia's Apollo Bratislava (1 R in 6 IP) and turned in 3 shutout innings in a no-decision as Brasschaat beat Austria's Athletics Attnang-Puchheim. He led the event in ERA (1.00, .38 ahead of veteran American Eddie Aucoin), was 3rd in opponent average (.194) and tied for the most starts (2). He won Best Pitcher honors.

The right-hander made Belgium's squad for the 2018 Super6. He contained the potent Italian national team offense much better than any other starting pitcher in the event (10 H, 5 BB, 5 R, 4 ER in 8 IP); Italy was led by former major leaguers Alex Liddi and Chris Colabello, both powerful sluggers. Jace Van Droogenbroeck relieved in the 9th with a 5-4 deficit; had it not been for a 3-run homer by Robel Garcia, Driessens might have gotten a win. He finished 6th in the event in ERA (between former minor leaguers Luis Lugo and Ricardo Hernández) and tied Cedric De Smedt for 4th in IP.