The MLB’s Pittsburgh Pirates are “expected to sign” right-handed Taiwanese pitcher Chang Hung-leng for a US$500,000 signing bonus, MLB.com reported on Saturday.
Twenty-year-old Chang, who graduated from Kaohsiung Municipal Sanmin Senior High School in 2020, has been a focus of local and international talent scouts because his fastballs can reach up to 151kph.
After graduating high school, the 1.9m tall Chang joined a baseball training program at Asia University in Taichung, and turned out for the semi-professional Taiwan Power baseball team.
Photo courtesy of ROF International Sports Marketing
If the deal closes, he would become the third active Taiwanese player in the Pirates system, joining pitcher Chen Po-yu and infielder Cheng Tsung-che.
The Web site said that Chang would possibly join two Dominican players ranked in its top 50 international prospects list: outfielder Tony Blanco Jr, ranked No. 11 on the list, for US$900,000, and shortstop Yordany De Los Santos, ranked No. 12, for US$1.2 million.
Although the Pirates have not confirmed the deals, Chang’s management agency, ROF International Sports Marketing, on Sunday confirmed the deal.
Chang is the 10th Taiwanese to join the Pirates, ROF said, adding that it would today hold a news conference about Chang’s signing.
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