HCAW presents new head coach and new players.

In a press release, Dutch hoofdklasse club HCAW from Bussum announced it has hired a new head coach. Dè Flanegin, who was at the helm of the flagship team in the past two seasons does not return, so the club had to look for a new head coach. Also a LOT of new players have come to the club.

HCAW found its new head coach in the person of Austis Gibbs. Curaçao-native Gibss was raised in Aruba. Many years, Gibbs was an active player in Aruba, with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, in the Dominican Republic and Venezuela. Gibbs also had a scouting role with the Dodgers and the Minnesota Twins. Next to these roles, he was also hitting instructor with the Minnesota Twins. Since 2019, Gibbs is living in the Netherlands. In the past two seasons, he was coach of a youth team of Tex Town Tigers from Enschede but also was involved in the flagship team of De Hazenkamp Ducks from Nijmegen.

Since assistant coach Rudy Dirksen also announced that 2020 would be his final season for the time being, HCAW also had to find a new assistant coach. They did not have to look outside the club as they found one in the club itself. Roy Berrevoets will take over from Dirksen. Next to Gibbs and Berrevoets, the HCAW coaching staff will contain of pitching coach Shane Gnade.

The press release presented the following new additions:

Jules Cremer (from Quick Amersfoort), Max Draijer, Victor Draijer (both from Hoofddorp Pioniers), Julian Goins (from Curaçao Neptunus), Steven van Groningen, Kevin Nieveld (both from DSS/Kinheim), Lars Huijer (from Hoofddorp Pioniers/Heidenheim Heideköpfe (Germany)), Jim Ploeger (from L&D Amsterdam), Ruben Dekker, Dion Frank, Jack Wagner (all from the farm team of HCAW).

Players that left the club are:

Luuk ter Beek, Gio de Graauw (both to L&D Amsterdam), Patrick Bok (hung up his spikes), ArthurLugtmeijer, Johannes Verroen Garcia, Pascal Zegwaard (all to Quick Amersfoort), Raibiëntly Mercalina (unknown).

With the addition of Jim Ploeger and Lars Huijer to its pitching staff and the addition of the Draijer cousins, HCAW will be a contender for a playoff spot for sure and perhaps even for the Holland Series. On paper HCAW has gotten stronger overall. With Dennis Burgersdijk, HCAW already had a very reliable starting pitcher but with the addition of Lars Huijer and Jim Ploeger, the club will have one of the better rotations in the Dutch hoofdklasse.