Christiaan Beyers (baseball)
| Christiaan Beyers | |
|---|---|
| Bonn Capitals | |
| Infielder | |
| Born: 17 May 1995 Secunda, South Africa | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right |
Christiaan Beyers (born 17 May 1995) is a South African-born professional baseball player. He plays for the Bonn Capitals of the Baseball-Bundesliga, having previously played for the Paderborn Untouchables.[1] He also plays for the Dubai Wolves of the Baseball United league.[2] In international competition, Beyers has played for both the South Africa and United Arab Emirates national baseball teams.
Early life
[edit]Beyers was born in Secunda, South Africa.[3] At the age of four, his family relocated to Saudi Arabia, where his father worked for Saudi Aramco. In Saudi Arabia, Beyers was introduced to baseball by one of his father's American friends enticed him to a practice.[4] He played on the Dhahran team that made it to the Little League World Series in 2007 and 2008.[4][5] In the 2008 edition, he was the sole hit in a 1–0 loss to Japan.[6]
Beyers briefly attended a private school in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania but eventually returned to Saudi Arabia to finish high school; he later earned a degree in business management at Stellenbosch University in South Africa.[4] Beyers briefly played baseball with the Fighting Artichokes of Scottsdale Community College in Arizona, trying to make the team as a non-scholarship player.[4]
Professional career
[edit]Beyers signed with the Paderborn Untouchables in 2021; in his first season, he slashed .340/.444/.528. In 2022, he batted .407 with a .478 on-base percentage and .559 slugging percentage as Paderborn reached the championship, ultimately losing to the Bonn Capitals. In 2023, Beyers batted .412, being voted Best Batter in the Bundesliga's North Division; that year, he led the league in total bases (67) and finished second in home runs (6) and in OPS (1.163).[4] At the 2023 European Champions Cup, Beyers went 6-for-16 with a home run and 3 runs batted in.[7] While with Paderborn, he wore uniform number 31.[8]
Beyers was selected by the Dubai Wolves with the 60th overall pick in the Baseball United inaugural draft.[9]
On February 16, 2025, the Bonn Capitals announced they had signed Beyers for the 2025 season.[1]
International career
[edit]In 2022, Beyers was named to the South Africa national baseball team roster for the 2023 World Baseball Classic qualifiers. In two games, he went 0-for-6 at the plate, with two strikeouts and one walk.[10]
Beyers, a resident of Dubai, played with the United Arab Emirates national baseball team at the Baseball United Arab Classic in 2024.[4] He recorded the UAE's first-ever baseball hit.[11] He also recorded the team's second-ever home run, in a semifinal win against Palestine.[12][11] He was named to the Arab Classic all-star team at the conclusion of the tournament, in which the UAE finished in second.[11]
Despite his participation with the Emirati team in the Arab Classic, Beyers was named to the South African national team roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic qualifiers, set to be held in Taipei, Taiwan.[13]
Personal life
[edit]In the Bundesliga offseason, Beyers resides in Dubai with his wife, Gitana, a flight attendant for Emirates Airlines originally from Brazil.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Neuzugang für die Capitals: Christian Beyers kommt nach Bonn" (in German). Baseball Bundesliga. 16 February 2025. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
- ^ "Chris Beyers on Inspiring the Next Generation of UAE Baseball". Baseball United. 11 October 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
- ^ "Arabia Wolves Roster". Baseball United. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g Cromwell, Carter (11 April 2024). "From Cricket to Crushing Baseballs Overseas: Chris Beyers' Story". Baseball Jobs Overseas. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
- ^ "Little League World Series - Player History (B)". LittleLeague.org. Little League International. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
- ^ "Japan's Moriuchi blanks Saudi Arabia with 1-hitter". ESPN. 16 August 2008. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
- ^ "Baseball European Champions Cup 2023 - Statistics". WBSCeurope.org. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
- ^ "Untouchables 1. Bundesliga Nord". Untouchables.eu. Archived from the original on 16 January 2024.
- ^ "With the 60th pick, the @bu_wolves select Christiaan Beyers (@chrisbeyerss), Infielder, Secunda, South Africa". Instagram. Baseball United. 23 October 2023.
- ^ "Stats - South Africa". MLB.com. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ a b c "Arab Classic All-Tournament Team". World Baseball Network. 15 November 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
- ^ "UAE team show quality at Baseball United Arab Classic final in Dubai". Arab News. 12 November 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
- ^ "Rosters announced for World Baseball Classic Qualifier in Taiwan". MLB.com. February 3, 2025.
External links
[edit]- Bundesliga statistics at BBSV.de
- 1995 births
- Living people
- People from Govan Mbeki Local Municipality
- White South African people
- South African expatriate baseball players
- South African expatriate sportspeople in the United Arab Emirates
- South African expatriate sportspeople in Germany
- Expatriate baseball players in the United Arab Emirates
- Expatriate baseball players in Germany
- 21st-century South African sportsmen
- Scottsdale Fighting Artichokes baseball players