Six-time All-Star outfielder Chen Tzu-hao has signed a historic 10-year contract with the Wei Chuan Dragons, the longest deal ever in Taiwan’s professional baseball history.
Sources familiar with the matter yesterday told reporters that Chen decided to leave the CTBC Brothers to join the Dragons and sign a new contract that is the first in the history of Taiwan’s CPBL to exceed five years.
The deal includes franchise and player options, although specific terms have not been disclosed, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Photo: CNA
Multiple Chinese-language media reports said that the contract is for a total of about NT$100 million (US$3.06 million), although it was unclear if the contract was fully guaranteed.
The team reportedly has a buy-out option and Chen can opt out at some unspecified time during the deal.
If accurate, the total value of the contract would set a league record, surpassing the NT$92.5 million, 3.5-year deal signed by Yu Chang with the Fubon Guardians earlier this year.
The 29-year-old Chen was among the first high-school players to enter the CPBL draft in 2013, the year the league introduced a separate draft for high-school players.
He was selected seventh overall by the then-Brother Elephants (now the CTBC Brothers) and has played for the franchise since.
In 87 regular-season games this year, Chen recorded 83 hits, including 17 home runs, in 301 at-bats, driving in 60 RBIs with a batting average of .276.
Chen’s decision to join the Dragons marks the first time the CTBC franchise has been unable to retain a player after declaring free agency.
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