Led by CPBL stars, Chinese Taipei announces roster for WBSC Premier12

Led by CPBL stars, Chinese Taipei announces roster for WBSC Premier12
01/10/2019

Players from the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) made the core of Chinese Taipei’s squad, as 20 CPBL players were selected while 7 international players and 1 amateur player also made the top team.

By Richard Wang

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Chinese Taipei manager Hong I-Chung announced his 28-man roster for the upcoming WBSC Premier12, the biggest international baseball event of the year and 2020 Olympic qualifier, which will run from 2-17 November.

Players from the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) made the core of Chinese Taipei’s squad, as 20 CPBL players were selected while 7 international players and 1 amateur player also made the top team. The Lamigo Monkeys led all teams with eight players selected.

Among the 28-man roster, manager Hong I-Chung selected 13 pitchers, 3 catchers, 7 infielders and 5 outfielders.

The Chinese Taipei pitching staff will get support from Major League Baseball (MLB) prospects Hu Chih-Wei (Chicago Cubs), Chiang Shao-Ching (Cleveland Indians), Lin Kai-Wei (Arizona Diamondbacks) and Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) pitchers Chen Kuan-Yu (Chiba Lotte Marines), Sung Chia-Hao (Tohoku Rakuten Eagles) and Chang Yi (Orix Buffaloes). Amateur rising star Wu Sheng-Feng (Co-operative Bank) was the only amateur pitcher to make the list.

Chinese Taipei’s infield will be an all-CPBL group.

Among five outfielders, NPB Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters’ rookie sensation Wang Po-Jung made the list despite recent injury.

Manager Hong I-Chung told media that Wang’s injury isn’t going to linger upon the start of the global tournament.

Veteran Lin Che-Hsuan and Hu Chin-Lung of CPBL’s Fubon Guardians are the most experienced players on the team and will likely be given the responsibility to lead the team.

The Chinese Taipei squad will begin training together from 8 October at Taoyuan International Baseball Stadium, home of the Lamigo Monkeys.

Chinese Taipei will be pitted in Group B of the WBSC Premier12, playing on home turf against top-ranked Japan, No. 9 Venezuela and No. 11 Puerto Rico. The top two teams from the group will advance to the Super Round in Japan.

Chinese Taipei’s 28-man roster

Pitchers:

Chen, Yu-Hsun (Lamigo Monkeys – CPBL)

Wang, Yao-Lin (Lamigo Monkeys – CPBL)

Huang, Tzu-Peng (Lamigo Monkeys – CPBL)

Chen, Hung-Wen (Fubon Guardians – CPBL)

Lee, Chen-Chang (Chinatrust Brothers – CPBL)

Liao, Yi-Chung (Chinatrust Brothers – CPBL)

Hu, Chih-Wei (Tampa Bay Rays – MLB)

Chiang, Shao-Ching (Cleveland Indians – MLB)

Lin, Kai-Wei (Arizona Diamondbacks – MLB)

Chen, Kuan-Yu (Chiba Lotte Marines – NPB)

Sung, Chia-Hao (Tohoku Rakuten Eagles – NPB)

Chang, Yi (Orix Buffaloes – NPB)

Wu, Sheng-Feng (Taiwan Co-operative Bank)

Catchers:

Lin, Hung-Yu (Lamigo Monkeys – CPBL)

Kao, Yu-Chieh (Chinatrust Brothers – CPBL)

Lin, Yo-Leh (Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions – CPBL)

Infielders:

Chen, Chun-Hsiu (Lamigo Monkeys – CPBL)

Chu, Yu-Hsien (Lamigo Monkeys – CPBL)

Kuo, Yen-Wen (Lamigo Monkeys – CPBL)

Lin, Li (Lamigo Monkeys – CPBL)

Wang, Wei-Chen (Chinatrust Brothers – CPBL)

Wang, Sheng-Wei (Chinatrust Brothers – CPBL)

Yueh, Tung-Hua (Chinatrust Brothers – CPBL)

Outfielders:

Lin, Che-Hsuan (Fubon Guardians – CPBL)

Hu, Chin-Lung (Fubon Guardians – CPBL)

Chan, Tsu-Hsien (Chinatrust Brothers – CPBL)

Su, Chih-Chieh (Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions – CPBL)

Wang, Po-Jung (Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters – NPB)