Derek West
Derek John West
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 5", Weight 257 lb.
- School University of Pittsburgh
- High School University High School (Orlando), Trinity Christian Academy (Deltona)
- Born December 2, 1996 in Orange City, FL USA
Biographical Information[edit]
Pitcher Derek West was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 14th round of the 2019 amateur draft, one year after being a 28th round selection by the Atlanta Braves in the 2018 amateur draft. Both years, he was at the University of Pittsburgh, after missing two full seasons following Tommy John surgery and then suffering a knee injury while playing basketball. In spite of being born and raised in the United States, he has played for the Netherlands national team in international competitions; his maternal grandparents had immigrated from the Netherlands and his mother was born a Dutch citizen. He had visited the country a number of times growing up and spoke a few words of the language, so he was not a complete stranger.
After signing with Houston, he began his pro career in 2019 with the Tri-City ValleyCats of the New York-Penn League, going 1-1, 6.75 in 13 games. He then was forced to stay idle in the 2020 season as the minor leagues were shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic, but he returned to action in 2021 with two different teams, the FCL Astros and the Asheville Tourists. Between the two stops, he had no decisions and an ERA of 6.52 in 8 games and 9 2/3 innings, with the stint in the Florida Complex League being for rehabilitation purposes. After what amounted to two full years with hardly any competitive appearances, he did well in 2022, starting with 7 games with Asheville and then moving up to the Corpus Christi Hooks of the AA Texas League. He finished at 5-2, 4.45 with 6 saves in 39 games - all in relief - while striking out 68 batters in 54 2/3 innings. After the season, he pitched for the Cangrejeros de Santurce in the Puerto Rican League, going 2-0, 1.02 with 3 saves in 14 outings.
Before the 2023 season, he was named to the Dutch national team for the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Further Reading[edit]
- Chris Boyle: "Orange City native Derek West will represent the Netherlands at World Baseball Classic", Daytona Beach News-Journal, February 15, 2023. [1]
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