The Boston Red Sox have signed 19-year-old outfielder Lin Che-hsuan (林哲瑄) to a minor league contract, the team said at a press conference yesterday.
"From now on it will be another new chapter in my life and a new level on the field," said Lin, who graduated from Nan Ying Vocational High School of Business and Technology last week.
Lin also said he hopes to make the major league in four years.
"We wish him well. We think he is a very special player," Boston Red Sox's coordinator of Pacific Rim scouting Jon Deeble said, adding that Lin has "four pluses as a runner, a defender, a thrower and playing with great range."
Lin has all the tools to succeed, Deeble said, "but it's important not to push him too hard."
Lin will be the fourth Taiwanese to play in the current Red Sox farm system, following in the footsteps of pitcher Lin Wang-yi (林旺億) and outfielders Huang Chih-hsiang (黃志祥) and Chiang Chih-hsien (蔣智賢).
The signing bonus was not disclosed but was estimated at around US$400,000, making it one of the highest signing bonuses for a Taiwanese player in recent years, according to staff of Bros Sports, Lin's sports agency.
Lin is expected to depart for the US on Friday or Saturday and begin his training with the Gulf Coast Red Sox rookie league team.
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