Twenty-one-year-old Taiwanese pitcher Lee Chen-hsun on Wednesday said that he hoped to make it to the majors before he turns 26, after signing with the San Francisco Giants earlier this week.
Lee signed an US$800,000 contract with the Giants, consisting of a US$650,000 signing bonus and US$150,000 education allowance, as Major League Baseball’s international signing period opened this week.
“I hope to get to the majors before I turn 26,” Lee said at a news conference announcing the signing in Taipei on Wednesday. “Because that age is the peak moment of an athlete’s career, if it’s not going well beyond that time, then the opportunity is almost probably over.”
Photo: CNA
Teams in the US and Japan had been eyeing Lee heading into the signing period, with the Giants opening negotiations with the right-hander in November last year.
The 1.93m Lee has a fastball that is about 150kph and could reach 160kph as he fills out and adds strength.
Lee has been on the radar of teams in the MLB since he was throwing at about 150kph as a 17-year-old at the Palomino World Series, reports said.
Joe Salermo, senior director of international scouting for the Giants, said in a video that he first saw Lee in 2018 at a wood bat tournament in Taiwan.
“And right away, he opened up my eyes. His frame, his diameter, his pitching ability, and of course his fastball, all stood out. Right away I gave him my business card and told him we would keep following him,” Salermo said.
Salermo also congratulated Lee for the hard work and effort he has put to be signed by a US team, going through ups and downs, and not giving up on reaching his goal.
Lee had gone under the knife for Tommy John surgery in 2019, but has bounced back to show his prowess on the mound.
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
RSS