Juan Carlos Sulbaran (born November 9, 1989) is a Dutch-Curaçaoan professional baseball pitcher for the Curaçao Neptunus of the Honkbal Hoofdklasse. He pitched in Minor League Baseball from 2009 to 2016. He has played for the Dutch national team in several international tournaments, including the 2008 Olympics and three editions of the World Baseball Classic.
He throws a changeup, curveball and fastball (which peaked at 95 mph in 2011).
Sulbaran was voted the best pitcher in the 2004 Latin American Youth Baseball Tournament while playing for the Netherlands Antilles. He came to the United States in 2006 to play high school baseball. He played at American Heritage School in Plantation, Florida. He missed most of 2007 because of an injury, though he struck out 24 in 12 innings. In 2008, he went 11âÂÂ0 with a 1.40 ERA, striking out 88 in 67 innings and allowing 31 hits to help his team to a state championship.
The Cincinnati Reds selected Sulbaran in the 30th round, 899th overall, of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft. He was drafted late due to his commitment to the University of Florida. He signed with the Reds on August 14 for a $500,000 signing bonus, which was a record for the 30th round.
Sulbaran made his professional debut in 2009 with the Single-A Dayton Dragons, starting 21 games and logging a 5âÂÂ5 record and 5.24 ERA with 100 strikeouts in 92 innings pitched. He returned to Dayton in 2010, starting another 15 games (with one relief appearance) and pitching to a 4âÂÂ6 record and 4.99 ERA with 83 strikeouts in innings of work.
In 2011, Sulbaran played for the High-A Bakersfield Blaze. In 26 starts for the team, he had a 9âÂÂ6 record and 4.60 ERA with 155 strikeouts in 137 innings pitched. He began the 2012 season with the Double-A Pensacola Blue Wahoos. Sulbaran started 19 games for Pensacola, pitching to a 7âÂÂ7 record and 4.04 ERA with 111 strikeouts in innings of work.
On July 31, 2012, Sulbaran and Donnie Joseph were traded to the Kansas City Royals for reliever Jonathan Broxton. Sulbaran finished the season making 6 starts for the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals. Sulbaran began the 2013 season with Northwest Arkansas and also spent time with the High-A Wilmington Blue Rocks. In 33 combined appearances (10 starts), he struggled to a 4âÂÂ7 record and 6.16 ERA with 55 strikeouts in innings pitched.
Sulbaran returned to Northwest Arkansas for the entire 2014 season, pitching in 25 games (starting 23) and registering an 8âÂÂ10 record and 3.25 ERA with 116 strikeouts in innings pitched. He split the 2015 season between Northwest Arkansas and the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers, making a combined 28 appearances (23 starts) and posting a 7âÂÂ10 record and 5.24 ERA with 99 strikeouts in innings pitched. Sulbaran elected free agency following the season on November 7.
On December 4, 2015, Sulbaran signed a minor league contract with the St. Louis Cardinals organization. He split the 2016 season between the Double-A Springfield Cardinals and Triple-A Memphis Redbirds. In 28 appearances (27 starts), Sulbaran pitched to a combined 5âÂÂ10 record and 5.24 ERA with 116 strikeouts in 146 innings pitched. He elected free agency following the season on November 7, 2016.
Sulbaran missed the entire 2017 season after suffering a broken collarbone in a car crash shortly after the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
On June 2, 2018, Sulbaran signed with the Silicon Storks of the Honkbal Hoofdklasse. In 3 starts for the team, he registered an 0âÂÂ1 record and 4.00 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 9 innings pitched.
On July 3, 2018, Sulbaran signed with the Winnipeg Goldeyes of the American Association of Professional Baseball. In 6 starts, Sulbaran pitched to a 1âÂÂ2 record and 5.97 ERA with 20 strikeouts in innings of work. The Goldeyes released him on August 14.
On March 22, 2019, Sulbaran signed with DSS of the Honkbal Hoofdklasse to serve as a reinforcement while Nick Keur recovered from Tommy John surgery. In 2019, he pitched to a 2âÂÂ9 record and 4.16 ERA with 70 strikeouts in innings pitched across 14 games (13 starts).
Sulbaran joined the Amsterdam Pirates of the Hoofdklasse in 2020. Making 7 starts for the team, he pitched to a 5âÂÂ2 record and 3.60 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 40 innings pitched. Returning to the team in 2021, he started 12 games, pitching to an 8âÂÂ1 record and a 1.61 ERA with 62 strikeouts in innings.
On November 20, 2021, Sulbaran was traded to the Neptunus of the Hoofdklasse. He replaced Diegomar Markwell in the rotation, as Markwell moved to the bullpen. Sulbaran started 14 games for the Rotterdam club in 2022, posting a 9âÂÂ2 record and 2.20 ERA with 70 strikeouts in 82 innings pitched.
On March 16, 2023, Sulbaran signed with the Lexington Counter Clocks of the Atlantic League. In 12 appearances (7 starts) for the Counter Clocks, he posted a 1âÂÂ4 record and 7.23 ERA with 25 strikeouts across innings of work. Lexington released Sulbaran on February 27, 2024.
On March 27, 2024, Sulbaran re-signed with the Neptunus of the Hoofdklasse. In 16 starts, Sulbaran compiled an 11âÂÂ0 record and 1.44 ERA with 87 strikeouts across 94 innings pitched. He received the league's pitcher of the year award.
On March 14, 2025, Sulbaran signed with the Caliente de Durango of the Mexican League. In three appearances (two starts) for Durango, he struggled to a 1âÂÂ1 record and 10.00 ERA with eight strikeouts across nine innings of work. Sulbaran was released by the Caliente on May 5.
On May 10, 2025, Sulbaran signed with the Rieleros de Aguascalientes of the Mexican League. In two appearances for Aguascalientes, he struggled to a 10.80 ERA with one strikeout across innings pitched. Sulbaran was released by the Rieleros on May 17.
On June 18, 2025, Sulbaran signed with the Curaçao Neptunus of the Honkbal Hoofdklasse. He was more effective in the Dutch league, with a 2âÂÂ0 record and 1.90 ERA in 6 games, including four starts.
Sulbaran joined the Netherlands Antilles national baseball team for the 2008 Haarlem Baseball Week and got a no-decision against Cuba. He allowed one hit and one run in 7 innings, with 6 strikeouts and 7 walks. The only run came when Giorvis Duvergel stole home. He later struck out three Americans in one scoreless inning in a mercy rule loss. The performance earned him a spot on the Dutch squad for the 2008 Summer Olympics. He was the only player on the team who had never appeared for the Dutch team before.
Sulbaran played for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic tournaments in 2009, 2017, 2023 and 2026. In the 2023 WBC, he pitched two scoreless innings in one game.
He also played for the Netherlands in the 2019 European Championship, the Africa/Europe 2020 Olympic Qualification tournament in September 2019, and the 2019 WBSC Premier12.