The CTBA on Monday announced a tentative Taiwan roster for the 30th BFA Asian Baseball Championship next month.
The 24-man roster, with Kuo Lee Chien-fu as manager, is headlined by three players from Minor League Baseball in the US and Nippon Professional Baseball teams.
Left-handed pitcher Lin Yu-min and shortstop Chen Sheng-ping are teammates on the Arizona Diamondbacks Double-A affiliate team, and fireballer Sun Yi-lei last month signed a four-year contract worth ￥90 million (US$598,199) to play for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
Photo: CNA
Lin and Sun are among the team’s 10 pitchers, with seven pitchers from the CPBL and one from the Division I amateur league. The roster also includes three catchers, seven infielders and four outfielders.
Seventeen players are from CPBL teams, including the Rakuten Monkeys’ Liao Chien-fu and the Wei Chuan Dragons’ Hsu Jo-hsi, while the other four are from Division I.
Taiwan are to play an exhibition game using the team from the potential roster for the U-23 Baseball World Cup at the Taipei Dome on Saturday next week before hosting South Korea at the same venue for the Asian Baseball Championship opener on Dec. 3.
It is to be the first international tournament held at the new indoor stadium.
Taiwan, the defending champions, and South Korea are to be joined by Hong Kong and Palestine in Group A, with Japan, Pakistan, Philippines and Thailand in Group B.
Taiwan are to play Palestine and Hong Kong at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium on Dec. 5 and 6.
The top two teams of each group are to advance to the Super Round to be played at the Taipei Dome before the final at the same venue on Dec. 10.
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