Shao-Ching Chiang Explained

Shao-Ching Chiang
Team:Fubon Guardians
Number:71
Position:Pitcher
Bats:Right
Throws:Right
Birth Date:10 November 1993
Birth Place:Hualien County, Taiwan
Debutleague:CPBL
Debutdate:August 25
Debutyear:2021
Debutteam:Fubon Guardians
Statleague:CPBL
Statyear:2022 season
Stat1label:Win–loss record
Stat1value:10–14
Stat2label:Earned run average
Stat2value:3.88
Stat3label:Strikeouts
Stat3value:141
Teams:

Shao-Ching Chiang (; born November 10, 1993) is a Taiwanese professional baseball pitcher for the Fubon Guardians of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). He has represented the Chinese Taipei national baseball team in international competitions.

Career

Cleveland Indians

Chiang signed as an international free agent with the Cleveland Indians organization. From 2012 through 2014, Chiang played for the Arizona League Indians, making just one appearance in each of his first two years. In 2014, he pitched in ten games (eight starts) and compiled a 4–2 win–loss record and a 4.53 earned run average (ERA).[1] He spent 2015 with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers where he pitched to a 3–2 record and 3.92 ERA in nine games (eight starts), and 2016 with the Lake County Captains where he posted an 8–12 record and 3.96 ERA in 27 starts.[2]

Chiang spent 2017 with the Lynchburg Hillcats and Akron RubberDucks where he pitched to a combined 9–10 record and 4.29 ERA in 25 total starts between both teams.[3] [4] In 2018, he split the season between Akron and the Columbus Clippers, going a combined 9–7 with a 3.90 with innings pitched.[5]

Chiang opened the 2019 season back with Columbus.[6] In 26 starts, he logged a 9–9 record and 5.15 ERA with 128 strikeouts across 131 innings pitched. Chiang elected free agency following the season on November 4, 2019.[7]

Detroit Tigers

On December 18, 2019, Chiang signed a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers.[8] Chiang did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] He became a free agent on November 2, 2020.[10]

Fubon Guardians

On February 25, 2021, Chiang agreed to a development contract with the Fubon Guardians of the Chinese Professional Baseball League.[11] The team subsequently selected him first overall in the 2021 Chinese Professional Baseball League draft.[12]

International career

Chiang represented Chinese Taipei at the 2014 Asian Games and 2017 World Baseball Classic. In the 2014 Asian Games in South Korea, winning a silver medal with Chinese Taipei.[13] In the 2017 World Baseball Classic, he pitched innings in one appearance against the Netherlands.

Chiang again represented Chinese Taipei in the 2019 WBSC Premier12 as a starting pitcher against Puerto Rico in the Opening Round, and against Mexico in the Super Round. In total, he pitched 11.2 innings with 13 strikeouts and ERA 2.31. His strong performance later attracted many MLB and NPB inquiries.[14] He ultimately ended up in the Detroit Tigers minor league system.[15]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Chang, Chiang help Indians to AZL crown | Arizona League . Milb.com . 2014-09-02 . 2019-11-08.
  2. Web site: Shao-Ching Chiang pitches well as Lake County Captains open second half with a loss . www.news-herald.com . 17 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170203163956/http://www.news-herald.com/article/HR/20160624/SPORTS/160629768 . 3 February 2017 . dead.
  3. http://www.letsgotribe.com/2017/3/14/14903098/wbc-2017-indians-stats-francisco-lindor-carlos-santana WBC 2017: Indians players looking great on international stage
  4. Web site: Shao-Ching Chiang Stats, Highlights, Bio – MiLB.com Stats – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball. MiLB.com. March 25, 2018.
  5. Web site: Long Road Nearing End for Shao-Ching Chiang. thesportsdaily.com. Joseph Coblitz. February 14, 2019. July 7, 2019.
  6. Web site: Cleveland Indians option Bobby Bradley to Triple-A in first spring-training cuts. cleveland.com. Paul Hoynes. March 8, 2019. July 7, 2019.
  7. Web site: Minor League Free Agents 2019. Matt Eddy. Baseball America. November 7, 2019. November 8, 2019.
  8. Web site: Tigers' Shao-Ching Chiang: Gets minors deal from Detroit. CBSSports.com. RotoWire Staff. December 18, 2019. December 18, 2019.
  9. Web site: 2020 Minor League Season Canceled. June 30, 2020 .
  10. News: Hilburn-Trenkle . Chris . Full List of 2020–2021 MiLB Free Agents . July 14, 2021 . Baseball America . November 2, 2020.
  11. Web site: Shao-Ching Chiang – International Player – news and analysis, statistics, game logs, depth charts, contracts, injuries.
  12. News: Hsieh . Ching-wen . Yeh . Joseph . Ex-minor league fireballer No. 1 pick in Taiwan baseball draft . 12 July 2021 . Central News Agency . 12 July 2021.
  13. http://www.cpblenglish.com/2017/02/2017-world-baseball-classic-chinese.html 2017 World Baseball Classic Chinese Taipei Preview
  14. News: 宗標 . 藍 . 12強/江少慶投出新身價 美、日職棒隊都找上門 . 30 August 2020 . 聯合新聞網 . 聯合線上公司 . 16 November 2019.
  15. News: Beard . Rod . 'We like him': Shao-Ching Chiang dials up his pitch to stick with Tigers . 30 August 2020 . The Detroit News . The Detroit News . 14 July 2020.