Pitcher on Netherlands WBC roster has bizarre connection to the 2012 SF Giants playoff run

The Netherlands published its roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), which includes former big league pitcher Shairon Martis. Martis may not be a familiar name to many SF Giants fans, but he holds an interesting footnote in the 2012 playoff run.

Pitcher on Netherlands WBC roster has bizarre connection to the 2012 SF Giants playoff run

That Netherlands roster is managed by Hall of Fame outfielder Andruw Jones. Jones gets to manage his son, Druw Jones, who is one of six outfielders listed on the roster.

There are a few other familiar faces on the roster for Giants fans. Dayson Croes joined the Giants on a minor league deal last year and reached Triple-A by the end of the summer. Chadwick Tromp appeared in a couple of seasons with the club. Lastly, Sharlon Schoop played pro ball for nearly two decades. His career began as an infield prospect with the Giants in 2005.

Shairon Martis has been on the Netherlands' roster almost every time since the WBC began in 2006. In the inaugural season, Martis was an 18-year-old pitching prospect in the Giants' system. He immediately made WBC history by becoming the first pitcher to throw a no-hitter.

That game put his name on the map and made him an interesting player to follow in the Giants' farm system. The Giants were not the only team with interest in Martis. In that same year, Martis was shipped to the Washington Nationals for veteran reliever Mike Stanton.

Stanton pitched in 19 major league seasons. His most notable stint was a seven-year run with the New York Yankees, where he was a part of three World Series titles. Stanton was near the end of his career with the Giants, but he put up as respectable 3.09 ERA across 23.1 innings following the deal.

The lefty reliever joined the Cincinnati Reds for his final season in 2007. Back then, free agency was a little different in how compensatory picks were issued. Some players were considered Type A or Type B free agents. This was based on recent production. Teams would receive a draft pick if a free agent signed elsewhere, depending on that classification.

The Giants did receive a compensatory pick when Stanton departed. That was the No. 51 selection in the 2007 draft, which they used to select Charlie Culberson. Culberson played in 11 major league seasons. His first came in 2012 with the Giants. After just 23 plate appearances, he was shipped to the Colorado Rockies for Marco Scutaro.

Scutaro went on a tear at the plate following the trade, slashing .362/.385/.473 with three home runs, 44 RBI, and 40 runs in 268 plate appearances. The veteran infielder played a key role in helping them secure their second title in three seasons. The origins of his coming to the Giants include a player who is still pitching in the WBC.

The Giants will have quite a few representatives in the WBC this year. There are also plenty of players with past connections to the organization.