MIAMI – Friday’s opener was a family affair for the Netherlands.
Andruw Jones, who will enter the Baseball Hall of Fame this summer, is managing the team for the first time after playing for the Netherlands in 2006 and 2013. And while he had familiarity with most of his players prior to the tournament, there was one he knew far better than the rest.
After all, he raised him.
Druw Jones was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 Draft, and while the 22-year-old Diamondbacks prospect (ranked No. 16 in their system) has yet to advance beyond High-A, he was among the players selected to represent the Netherlands in this year’s World Baseball Classic.
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“As soon as he knew he was managing, he let me know,” Druw said. “He was like, ‘Hey, man, if you're going to be able to play, we're going to have you on the roster.’ Of course I'm going to accept. I just had to wait on the team's approval, and they were all backing it 100 percent.”
The decision paid dividends on Friday, as the younger Jones drove in both of the Netherlands’ runs in a 6-2 loss to Venezuela.
Druw went 1-for-3 with a sacrifice fly, two RBIs and two strikeouts, though the Netherlands managed only four hits all game against Ranger Suárez and five relievers.
Venezuela scored in the bottom of the first, taking a quick lead that got the crowd in early celebration mode. But as he stepped to the plate with runners at first and second and two outs, Druw hit a 2-2 sinker to left field, legging out a double to tie the game.
“A big opportunity for him to come out there with a big two-out base hit,” Andruw said. “It was fun.”
That the hit came against Suárez – a 2024 All-Star who signed a five-year, $130 million contract with the Red Sox this winter – didn’t seem to impress the youngster.
“It's just another guy in uniform,” Druw said. “I'm just trying to go up there and just put a good at-bat together. I feel like my game is right there with them. I'm here for a reason, so being able to go out there and just put together at-bats for the team.”
What did his dad say when he came back to the dugout?
“He said, ‘Good job,’” Druw said. “Nothing too over the top. It was just like anybody else.”
The Joneses are the third father-son manager/player duo in WBC history, joining the Dominican Republic’s Tony and Francisco Peña (2013) and Felipe and Moises Alou (2009). They’re also one of only four father-son duos in history to each play in a Classic.
Friday’s opener felt “like another baseball game” for Druw, but he admitted that having his father on the bench leading the team is anything but routine.
“It's different,” Druw said. “It's awesome being able to have him as a manager and a coach. It’s just a blessing.”
“We are representing the family, the Jones last name and the Netherlands,” Andruw said. “This is something special for my mom and my family in Curaçao.”