Sedley Karel

• Bats Right, Throws Right

• Born July 13, 1990

BR register page

Biographical Information

Sedley Karel has pitched in the Hoofdklasse and for the Curaçao national team.

Karel debuted with UVV in 2011, going 1-2 with a 6.93 ERA in 25 games. He was second in the league in appearances, one behind Patrick Beljaards. He improved to 3-0, 2.25 in 22 games in 2012, tying Jurrian Koks for 6th in games pitched. Moving to HCAW, he was 1-1 with two saves and a 2.76 ERA in 2013. He tied Kevin van Veen for 7th in saves and tied for third with 24 appearances (after Rick van de Post and Pim Walsma).

Switching clubs again, he was with the Vaessen Pioniers the next year. In the 2014 European Cup, he saved Elton Koeiman's win over the Rouen Huskies and pitched 2 2/3 shutout innings over four games. He led the Cup in appearances. During the 2014 Hoofdklasse, he was 1-2 with two saves and a 2.38 ERA in 25 games. He made the league leaders in ERA (10th, between Koks and Jerrold Martijn), opponent average (.218, 5th), saves (tied for 8th) and games pitched (2nd, one behind Walsma).

He fell to 2-1, 5.17 in 2015 though his 26 appearances tied Walsma, Kevin Geestman and Martin Ploegstra for the lead. He had 11 saves and a 3.63 ERA in the 2016 Hoofdklasse; while he fell from the league appearance leaders for the first time in his career, he did lead in saves (3 ahead of former AAA and NPB hurler Loek van Mil). Switching to HCAW in 2017, he slumped to 0-2 with four saves and a 6.43 ERA, walking 22 in 14 IP. He still tied for the save lead (with Oscar Meuris, Daan Hendrix, Maickel Rietel, Misja Harcksen and Berry van Driel).

Taking a long break from baseball, the long-haired hurler returned with HCAW in 2023. He beat Luis Ysla and the Rouen Huskies in the 2023 European Champions Cup despite three unearned runs in one inning of work. In the Hoofdklasse season and postseason, he had a 5-1, 4.97 record. He tied Nick Keur and Daan Kuit for 5th with 26 games pitched. He also pitched that year for Curaçao. In the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games, they made their Central American and Caribbean Games (though they had supplied players for Netherlands Antilles teams from the 1950s to 2010). He was the first reliever for them in the event, taking over for Témesh Lourens with a 12-4 lead over host El Salvador in the 6th. He struck out William De Leon, walked Ronald López and Cesar Ciron hit into a double play. Swindly Lint closed out the win. His other game was a bit rougher. Relieving Cerilio Soleana in the 6th with a 2-2 tie against Puerto Rico, he gave up four hits in 1 1/3 IP but no runs and Marlison Brunken helped close it out as his team rallied to win. In the 2023 Caribbean Baseball Cup, he pitched 1 1/3 shutout innings to beat Puerto Rico and Sergio Santiago.