Major league talent is tough to find for any scout, yet Troy Williams has it harder than most. He scours Europe, Africa and the Middle East for the Yankees. Those places aren’t exactly hotbeds for future big leaguers. “I am a very, very important man who covers a ton of ground,” Williams recen tly joked with the Daily News. “No, if you believe that, I’ve got some sand to sell you in the desert. I do cover a very, very large geographical region, but there’s not a ton of talent in those places.” With legitimate prospects so scarce in his assigned areas, Williams takes extra pride when the Yankees sign one of his recommendations. That happened in December, as he helped the Bombers ink Netherlands native Tijn Fredrikze. Tijn Fredrikze (l.) and Yankees scout Troy Williams (Photo Courtesy Tijn Fredrikze). The 18-year-old pitching prospect, who received a $90,000 bonus amid some turnover in the Yankees’ international scouting department, is believed to be the first European-born and raised player to sign with the team since Poland’s Artur Strzałka did so in 2013. Strzałka never made it past rookie ball. Fredrikze has his sights set much higher. “I want to be a Hall of Famer,” the baby-faced but confident lefty told The News during a WhatsApp video call earlier this offseason. “That’s my goal. My first goal was signing, and when I got close to that, my goals changed really fast. I just want to be the best out there. I want to win some World Series.” Clearly, Fredrikze already knows how to pander to Yankees fan, but it will take lots of time, patience and development for him to achieve such lofty feats. “There’s lots of things he’s gotta continue to work on and do to progress and get better,” Williams said, but he added that, “We wouldn’t be signing a kid if we didn’t hope and anticipate and expect him to make the big league roster someday. “I hope we’re talking about him a decade from now.” Williams, who said that other scouts played a part in signing Fredrikze, has had his eyes on the pitcher for a few years. In 2025, he saw Fredrikze, much younger than the average competition, lead the Dutch Major League with 76 strikeouts while posting a 3.90 ERA over 60 innings for Kinheim in Haarlem, North Holland. Fredrikze did so with a fastball that ranges from 88-91 mph and a go-to curveball. He also throws a sinker and a changeup. A look at MLB World Select Team’s Tijn Fredrikze. The LHP had a great outing on the mound today showcasing a quality 3-pitch mix. FB: 85-86, 88CH: 80-81CB: 77-78 Netherlands 2025 #uncommitted@AZFallClassic / @FiveTool_Intl Profile: https://t.co/bSQiMhpdjS pic.twitter.com/sGhTsMnYXe — Five Tool Arizona (@FiveToolAZ) September 29, 2024 Williams likes Fredrikze’s makeup and mound presence — “he never backed down against anybody” — but noted that the hurler will have to improve his command and velocity. The latter should happen naturally, as Fredrikze expects to grow beyond his current 6-foot, scrawny stature. “Docs told me I’m going to be 6-2, 6-3ish,” he said, a hint of hope in his voice. “My father and my grandparents grew until they were 21, so I think it’s still possible.” Fredrikze, who will begin his state-side career as a starter in the rookie-level Florida Complex League, said that he plans on reporting to the Yankees’ player development complex in Tampa in February or early March. At that point, he will be thousands of miles from the Netherlands. However, Fredrikze feels well-equipped for the challenge, as he’s been part of TeamNL, a Dutch program that acts as a boarding school for baseball players and required him to live on his own for 2.5 years while training twice a day and playing in games. Fredrikze, who also attended the Rotterdam academy run by former Yankee Robert Eenhoorn, has traveled to Puerto Rico and Barcelona, where he participated in MLB’s European Development Tournament, for baseball as well. He is used to being on the go, and he’s comfortable with the English language. Fredrikze also sought advice from fellow countrymen who played professionally in America, including former Red Sox farmhand Stijn Van Der Schaaf, as he went through the signing process with the Yankees. “It’s going to be different because you’re far away from home, but I think the basics have been set already,” Fredrikze said. Fredrikze certainly wasn’t going to let distance stand in his way, as he has imagined being a big leaguer since he started playing baseball at age 6. He was a bit of an outlier among his peers, as soccer is the top sport on the Netherlands mainland, which has only produced 11 MLB players, including ex-Yankee Didi Gregorius and Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven. But Fredrikze said he was drawn to the “aura” of another Cooperstown immortal, as he idolized one-time Yankee and fellow southpaw Randy Johnson. These days, two other lefties, Detroit’s Tarik Skubal and the Yankees’ Max Fried, are Fredrikze’s “biggest idols.” He can’t wait to introduce himself to the latter this spring. That Fredrikze will even be in a position to do so is a source of immense gratification. “It means a lot,” he said of joining the Yankees. “I’ve been working on this for a while now. It’s been my dream, and to see it come out this way, I couldn’t describe it better. I think it’s the best you can do. It’s the biggest organization out there, so I’m just really proud.” ...read more read less