Born in the Dutch Republic in the mid-16th century, Cordes began sailing for the Netherlands against the Spanish Empire during the Eighty Years' War.
Baltazar possibly arrived in the Pacific during the 1598 Magellano Company expedition attempting to circumnavigate South America.
One of the vessels, the Liefde ("Love" or "Charity"), reached Japan in 1600, pilot William Adams among the surviving crew.
In April 1600, with combined Dutch and native forces, Cordes organized the capture of the island of Chiloé off the coast of Chilean Patagonia.
However, Cordes' forces suffered heavy losses upon the recapture of the city by the Spanish, executing all but 23 Dutch and over 300 natives (thought to be Huilliches).