Bulls News: Jo-Hsi Hsu could be next breakout international pitcher |
Dustin Riese
· · 10 hours ago
Given what could be coming next offseason and a potential MLB Lockout looming, it's astonishing to see the number of players who not only turned down the qualifying offer, but also have no intention of signing a short-term deal. What is even more surprising is the cast of international players looking to land an MLB contract as the International Free Agent List continues to grow by the day.
While most of that talent hails from the NPB in Japan and the KBO in Korea, there are several other baseball leagues out there with talented players who are looking to land a home in the MLB. Take the CPBL, located in China, as an example, as right-hander Jo-Hsi Hsu is not only one of the top arms on the Chinese Taipei circuit but arguably the best. According to recent reports, Hsu is ready to make the leap from the CPBL to the MLB, as this is the best time for him to do so. Having players come from the CPBL is rare, but there are currently two other players in the MLB who hail from this league: Kai-Wei Teng (Giants) and Tsung-Che Cheng (Pirates). Both of them were signed as International Free agents and are currently prospects in their respective organizations. Jen-Ho Tseng was another Taiwan-born player who latched on with an MLB organization, while left-hander Wei-Yin Chen may have been the most established player to come from that league. Hsu has a chance to top what Chen did during his career, as the 25-year-old right-hander is not only looking for an MLB deal but also for a chance to make an MLB roster this season. While he hasn't officially said he will come to the United States, as the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks of the NPB have a six-million-dollar offer on the table, Hsu has indicated that he loves the American style of baseball and is interested in working at American facilities. How much interest remains to be seen, but the 25-year-old will base much of his decision on what his wife and children want to do. Anytime you have an asian born player looking to land with an MLB team, it's often difficult to predict how their game will translate in the States. Baseball is baseball, but it's played differently all around the world, and the American style is vastly different than the style he sees now. Up to this point, Hsu has had an up-and-down career and has gone 16-18 across 64 starts with a 2.42 ERA. The record may not be what teams are looking at, but his ERA certainly is, as Hsu has been victimized by a lack of run support more often than not. In his 64 outings (60 starts), Hsu has been a reliable arm, averaging roughly five innings (304 innings) per appearance and racking up 349 strikeouts compared to 70 walks. His past two seasons have seen him start to turn the corner as a pitcher, as Hsu has combined to go 12-11 with a 2.27 ERA across 207 innings. He has walked 43 during that time and has struck out 233 as he continues to do all that has been asked of him across the pond. Given his age, Hsu hasn't been around long, as he has only pitched in four professional seasons. His best overall season came in 2024 when he went 7-4 with a 2.47 ERA in 94 innings while pitching for Wei Chuan. This season wasn't as good record-wise (5-7), but with a career-high 114 innings, career-best 120 strikeouts, career-low 14 walks, and a career-best 2.05 ERA, some would say it was his best season, not 2024. Given the rarity of players from this league, there isn't much to go on when it comes to a stuff standpoint, but International Scouts have gone on record saying he can sling it. That all starts with his heater, which can touch the upper 90s, and that alone is a pitch that will play well in any league. You can also expect some splitter/slider combination, as well as a change, since those pitches often set the asian-born players apart. In any case, it will be interesting to see how teams view him should he elect to come to the States, and whether they see him as a prospect or someone who could contribute right away.
