Report: D-backs Sign Taiwanese Pitcher Chung-Hsiang Huang

The Arizona Diamondbacks have reportedly signed a 19-year-old right-handed pitcher out of Taiwan, expanding their footprint in the international player pool from Asia

Mar 25, 2022; Scottsdale, Arizona, USA; Fans watch the Arizona Diamondbacks play the Los Angeles Angels in the second inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-Arizona Republic Mlb Los Angles Angels At Arizona Diamondbacks / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Arizona Diamondbacks have reportedly signed another young ballplayer from Taiwan, their latest signing following in the footsteps of Yu-Min Lin who was signed from there as well and is a top prospect for Arizona. The player's name is Chung-Hsiang Huang.

The reported bonus for the right-handed pitcher is $500,000. According to a source, the deal with Arizona is pending a medical examination. This bonus uses up the remainder of their International signing bonus allotment, leaving none of that money wasted.

Huang recently played in the 2024 WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup in which the 19-year-old gave up just one run with six strikeouts in 3.1 innings.

He's been clocked at throwing 155 kph or roughly 96+ mph, which is a big fastball that will certainly play in the minor leagues and above. It would give Arizona a vital starting pitcher that can throw above 95.

He also throws a slider, curveball, splitter, and split-change giving the Diamondbacks plenty of pitches to help him develop into above-average weapons.

The Diamondbacks have made Taiwan a focus of their international scouting as they seek to sign more players across the world and gain a foothold in Asia.

The most famous Taiwanese player in MLB history is likely Chien-Ming Wang who pitched from 2005 to 2016.

The Diamondbacks signed Yu-Min Lin in 2021 for $525,000 and he's now become one of their top prospects. The hope is that Huang follows in his footsteps, only from the right-hand side.

Huang will likely start the 2025 season in the Arizona Complex League. How soon he moves up to Single-A Visalia remains to be seen as it depends upon how he does at Salt River Fields.

Time will tell if Arizona is able to sign another player out of Taiwan and if the medical examination goes well to cement the signing and make Huang a part of the Arizona Diamondbacks organization.

If it does, it's just the latest success story for the Diamondbacks international scouting department that is competing with 29 other teams for the same players. The D-backs prospect system just got a boost.

This signing will further cement Arizona's ability to sign Taiwanese players and help them be regarded as a team to watch for other players across the continent of Asia as the D-backs. One such name is Roki Sasaki who is coming over from Japan and that the D-backs have scouted extensively.

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