MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The journey to the big leagues is long and unique for every player. That is especially true, in terms of miles traveled, for Redbirds pitcher Sem Robberse. Part of his journey to the major leagues includes a stop here in Memphis that he’s taking advantage of.
In a country better known for its soccer, it was always baseball that held Robberse’s heart.
"I grew up watching mostly the Yankees because that was one of the more popular teams back then," Robersse said. "We would get up for World Series games, we’d get up in the middle of the night, like 2 a.m., to watch it and stay downstairs in sleeping bags."
Robberse hails from Ziest, Netherlands, the same hometown as the only Dutch Hall of Famer: Bert Blyleven. His dad, Raymond, was also once an MLB hopeful, who taught Robberse how to throw.
In 2019, the Toronto Blue Jays discovered the Dutch gem during a baseball tournament in Spain and signed him. 2020 was his first year of American baseball. He spent it mostly in a hotel room unable to go home, thanks to the COVID pandemic.
"It was different, but I wanted to make sure that I got used to the fact of being away from home for a long time, because I had never done that before. I was able to get used to that and kind of kept working and doing the things I was able to do [like] watch baseball," Robberse said.
Robberse thrived in the United States. He played in the 2023 MLB All-Star Futures Game, before the Blue Jays traded him to the St. Louis Cardinals. He's now the Cardinals No. 12 ranked prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.
In just four starts in Memphis, he’s got three wins, including being the International League’s Pitcher of the Week.
"He’s confident in how he goes about it, but he’s also humble. He’s a hungry kid that throws the ball well, and he’s starting to make a name for himself and starting to push," said Redbirds head coach, Ben Johnson.
"That's what I've learned the most in the last year and a half: if I can stick to myself and execute my plan, it usually comes down to something being good," said Robberse.