Wang Wei-chung, from NC, selected for WBC Taiwan national team… Shall we meet Korea in round 8?

Taiwan confirmed and announced the final roster for the World Baseball Classic (WBC). 

Taiwan’s WBC baseball team, led by coach Lin Weiping, unveiled the final list of 30 players on the 6th (hereinafter Korean time). There are 23 players from Taiwan Professional Baseball (CPBL), 3 from Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), 4 from Major League FA and 4 from Minor League, and 7 overseas players. 

By position, there are 14 pitchers, 3 catchers, 8 infielders and 5 outfielders. Coach Lin Weiping said, “It was not easy to select 30 players for the national team. “The next step is to train hard and make Taiwan proud at the WBC,” he said. 

The most eye-catching name is Wang Wei-chung (31), a left-handed pitcher who played for the NC Dinos in the KBO League. Wang Wei-chun메이저사이트g, who signed with NC in 2018 and came to the KBO League as the first Taiwanese national player, recorded 7 wins and 10 losses with an average ERA of 4.26 and 108 strikeouts in 25 games (141⅔ innings). 

Wang Wei-chung, who left Korea after only playing for one year, recorded 25 major league games (31 innings), 3 wins, and an average ERA of 3.77 with the Oakland Athletics and Pittsburgh Pirates in 2019. From 2021, he has returned to Taiwanese professional baseball and is working for the Weiquan Dragons. Last year, he had 4 wins, 6 losses, and an earned run average of 3.20 in 19 games (81⅔ innings), which was good. 

In terms of major league experience, infielder Zhang Youcheng has the richest experience. After debuting with the Cleveland Indians in 2019, he went back and forth between Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox last year, posting a batting average of 2.13, 104 hits, 14 homers, 61 RBIs, and an OPS of .639 in 196 games in four seasons. Zhang Yucheng, who obtained FA status after last season but has yet to find a new team, refused to be drafted into the WBC for this reason, but decided to participate after facing strong opposition from the public due to issues related to military service. Zhang Yucheng received military exemption for winning the Asian Baseball Championship in 2019. 

As a Japanese professional baseball player, there is Song Zhao, a key pitcher in the bullpen of the Rakuten Golden Eagles. After his debut in 2017, he recorded 248 total games (240⅓ innings), 16 wins, 12 losses, 7 saves, 87 holds, an average ERA of 2.96 and 200 strikeouts over the six years since his debut in 2017. Outfielder Wang Bo-rung (Nippon Ham Fighters), who fell precipitously after advancing to Japan after hitting 40.000 batting average for two consecutive years in Taiwan, was included. Wang Bo-rung only had a batting average of 6.3 li (2 hits in 32 at-bats) in 15 games last year. 

Cuba, Netherlands, Italy, Panama and Chinese Taipei in Group A will play the first round in Taichung, Taiwan. The 1st and 2nd place in Group A will play against the 1st and 2nd place in Group B in a single-elimination match in the quarterfinals held at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. There is also a possibility that Taiwan will play against South Korea in Group B.