Yu Chang Seemingly Becoming a member of CPBL's Fubon Guardians

Infielder Yu Chang introduced on his social media that he’s planning to enter the 2024 draft for the Chinese language Skilled Baseball League of Taiwan, relayed by CPBL Stats on X. Per a report from Kayleigh Madjar at the Taipei Times, the Fubon Guardians have the highest choose within the draft, which is scheduled for Friday subsequent week. It appears the Guardians plan to pick Chang because the membership launched an announcement saying that they’ve been in touch with Chang for a while, including that the “look ahead to [Chang] carrying a Fubon Guardians jersey within the second half of the season.” Per CPBL Stats on X, the Guardians will probably supply Chang a contract of three.5 years value between $2.34MM and $2.67MM USD. The Guardians are additionally anticipated to offer the Rays $100K to purchase Chang out of his minor league take care of that membership.

“It’s been ten years working away from residence, I miss residence very a lot,” Chang mentioned on his social media. “Due to this fact I’ve determined to enter the 2024 CPBL draft. I actually admire that the Rays group has been very understanding and supportive of my resolution. I’m at present in Florida enjoying rehab video games, will probably be 100% wholesome and get again to the sport quickly!”

Chang, now 28, was born in Taiwan and signed with Cleveland as a world free agent in 2013. On his manner up the minor league ladder, he was typically thought of considered one of that membership’s prime prospects. Baseball America had him on the Cleveland prime 30 for seven straight years beginning in 2015.

Broadly talking, he hit properly within the higher ranges of the minors however was by no means in a position to do a lot on the main league degree. His Triple-A manufacturing was often strong, as he hit .264/.339/.436 at that degree over a number of seasons. He was additionally a very good defender across the infield. Each Defensive Runs Saved and Outs Above Common thought of him an above-average fielder in any respect 4 spots on the filth.

However a number of call-ups with Cleveland noticed him wrestle on the plate and get despatched again down. He exhausted his closing possibility yr in 2021, which kicked off a nomadic interval of his profession. He was designated for project by the Cleveland Guardians in Might of 2022 however bought loads of curiosity from different golf equipment, hoping that he might deliver a few of that Triple-A manufacturing as much as the majors and mix it along with his robust glovework. He would go to the Pirates, Rays and Pink Sox on money offers or waiver claims all through the 2022 season, failing to stay with any of them.

Boston non-tendered him after that season after which re-signed him for 2023. He performed for Chinese language Taipei in that yr’s World Baseball Traditional, placing up an enormous line of .438/.500/.938. However he suffered a hamate fracture early within the MLB season which despatched him to the injured listing for a couple of months. His offensive struggles continued when he returned and he was designated for project in August. Over the 5 massive league seasons from 2019 to 2023, he hit .204/.265/.359 in his 650 main league plate appearances.

Chang signed a minor league take care of the Rays coming into 2024 however hasn’t been in a position to play a lot this yr. An indirect pressure suffered in late February got here with a six to eight week restoration timeline. Per his MLB.com transactions tracker, he was activated off the minor league injured listing on April 26 however was despatched again there on Might 22. He had appeared in simply 14 video games within the interim.

If all goes as reported, it’s doable Chang’s time in North American ball is over. If he indicators a deal that covers the rest of this season and three extra, he will probably be 32 years outdated by the point that pact runs out.