2021 CPBL Draft Predictions (1st & 2nd Round)

The annual CPBL draft is upon us once again. On July 12, a record-breaking 157 talented amateurs from various high schools, universities, industrial leagues and overseas leagues will enter the 2021 draft and get the opportunity to play in the CPBL.

The 2021 CPBL draft pool is made up of 76 pitchers, 21 catchers, 36 infielders, 24 outfielders. This year’s draft order is as follows:

  1. Fubon Guardians
  2. Rakuten Monkeys
  3. CTBC Brothers
  4. Uni-Lions
  5. Wei Chuan Dragons

Draft Strategy for Each Team

Will teams select high school prospects and spend time developing them? Or pick players who are CPBL first-team ready and try to get an immediate boost in the second-half season? Or just go with the strategy of choosing the best available player regardless of their position?

To answer that question above, we will briefly outline each team’s current and potential weaknesses. Hopefully, this will provide some insights into how each team would tackle the 2021 draft.

  1. Guardians: Middle infielders, pitchers, catchers
  2. Monkeys: Pitchers, outfielders, corner infielders
  3. CBC Brothers: Middle infielders, pitchers, catchers
  4. Uni-Lions: Shortstop, pitchers, catchers
  5. Dragons: Pitchers, catchers, corner infielders

Having said all this, with the CPBL being a five-team league, sometimes, the more efficient strategy is to draft the best players regardless of their position.

Without further ado, here are our 2021 CPBL draft predictions for the first and second rounds.


First Round Predictions

Once again, huge credit to Taiwan Baseball Notes for uploading all the videos of those amateurs players. TBN is probably the best online resource for anything related to student baseball.

Guardians: 江少慶 (Chiang Shao-Ching), RHP

  • 27 years old, MiLB right-handed pitcher
  • Reached Triple-A
  • Starting pitcher
  • Fastball tops out 159kph (2019)
  • 2-Seam, changeup, curveball, slider, splitter
  • Rare power starting pitcher in CPBL
  • 1st team ready

Notes: Chiang Shao-Ching is by far the best player in this year’s draft pool. The Guardians reportedly have reached an agreement with Chiang and will offer him the largest contract in CPBL history. Should Chiang stays healthy, he has everything tools to become the ace of the CPBL.

Prior to the draft, Chiang Shao-Ching was training with the Fubon Guardians farm team. He posted a 7.27 ERA and 1.96 WHIP over 8.2 innings.

Monkeys: 陳冠宇 (Chen Kuan-Yu), LHP

  • 30 years old, NPB left-handed pitcher
  • Starting pitcher or reliever
  • Fastball tops out 148kph (2021)
  • Curveball, slider, sinker, changeup, forkball
  • Ten years NPB veteran (2011 to 2020)
  • 1st team ready

Notes: Unlike other players who returned from overseas due to injury, Chen Kuan-Yu left Japan for family reasons. His NPB team was satisfied with his performance and wanted to re-sign him for 2021.

Although Chen is slightly older than the other draftees, he would immediately contribute to the Monkeys either as a starting pitcher or a reliever.

Prior to the draft, Chen Kuan-Yu was training with the Anyong Fresh (semi-pro team) in Taiwan’s industrial league. He posted a 1.33 ERA over 20.1 innings.

Brothers: 呂彥青 (Lu Yen-Ching), LHP

  • 25 years old, NPB left-handed pitcher
  • Starting pitcher
  • Fastball tops out 150kph (2020)
  • Curveball, slider, changeup
  • In theory, 1st team ready

Notes: According to several media outlets, the Brothers and Lu Yen-Ching seems to have some pre-draft understanding. Although Lu never reached the NPB first-team, there is a lot of potential for future growth because of his age. Should Lu stays healthy, he is very likely to fill the #4 or #5 spot in the rotation.

Prior to the draft, Lu Yen-Ching was training with the Wei Chaun Dragons farm team. He posted a 0.67 ERA and 0.85 WHIP over 27 innings.

Uni-Lions: 胡智為 (Hu Chih-Wei), RHP

  • 27 years old, MLB right-handed pitcher
  • Starting pitcher
  • Fastball tops out 152kph (2021)
  • 2-Seam, changeup, slider, curveball
  • 1st team ready

Notes: Hu Chih-Wei is young, durable with plenty of experience in the MLB system and pitching for Taiwan in international tournaments. He should be able to take up the #2 or #3 spot in the Uni-Lions rotation.

Ideally, Hu Chih-Wei should be the second overall pick this year. But since the Guardians, Monkeys and the Brothers already have some sort of understanding with other players, the Uni-Lions will now have the opportunity to draft this former MLB right-hander.

Prior to the draft, Hu Chih-Wei was training with the Wei Chuan Dragons farm team. He posted 0.70 ERA and 0.85 WHIP over 38.2 innings in the CPBL minor league.

Dragons: Giljegiljaw Kungkuan (吉力吉撈.鞏冠), C

  • 27 years old, MiLB catcher
  • Briefly reached Triple-A (Mostly Double-A)
  • Can potentially play 1B and 3B
  • 1st team ready (hitting wise)

Notes: Giljegiljaw Kungkuan would be able to add the much-needed firepower to the Dragons lineup. Although Kungkuan is not a home run hitter, fans can expect to see plenty of doubles. He is likely to be in the heart of the Dragons lineup.

Prior to the 2021 draft, Giljegiljaw Kungkuan was training with the Wei Chaun Dragons farm team. He posted a .294/.345/.451 across 57 plate appearances in the CPBL minor league.


Second Round Predictions

Guardians: 曾仁和 (Tseng Jen-Ho), RHP

  • 26 years old, MLB right-handed pitcher
  • Starting pitcher or reliever
  • Fastball tops out 154kph (2020)
  • 2-Seam, curveball changeup, cutter
  • 1st team ready if healthy

Notes: Picking Tseng Jen-Ho in the 2nd round is a high risk, high reward gamble for the Guardians. At the moment, Tseng is considered as a ticking time bomb with his previous shoulder injuries. However, if the Guardians don’t draft Tseng, the other teams will surely pick him up in the second round.

If Tseng is healthy, he has all the tools to become one of the top-tier domestic pitchers in the CPBL. He has the potential to take the #3 or #4 spot in the Guardians rotation. Of course, that’s if he is healthy.

Prior to the draft, Tseng Jen-Ho was training with the Uni-Lions farm team. He posted a 2.66 ERA and 0.97 WHIP over 23.2 innings.

Monkeys: 陳志杰 (Chen Chih-Chieh), RHP

  • 18 years old, high school right-handed pitcher
  • Fastball tops out 152kph (2021)
  • Curveball, changeup
  • Most polished high school pitcher this year
  • ETA 1st team: 2023

Brothers: 李展毅 (Lee Chan-Yi), 1B / C

  • 18 years old, high school right-handed batter
  • Catcher / First baseman
  • 188 cm / 101 kg
  • Plenty of raw power
  • Most polished high school hitter this year
  • ETA 1st team: 2023

Uni-Lions: 邱駿威 (Chiu Chun-Wei), RHP

  • 18 years old, high school right-handed pitcher
  • Fastball tops out 153kph (2021)
  • Good late movement with his fastball
  • Slider, curveball and forkball
  • Most polished high school pitcher this year
  • ETA 1st team: 2024

Dragons: 張翔 (Chang Hsiang), C

  • 18 years old, high school right-handed batter
  • Considered to be the best high school catcher in this year’s draft pool
  • Great defensive player with average hitting
  • ETA 1st team: 2024


Other Potential 2nd Round Candidates

劉志宏 (Liu Chih-Hung), LHP

  • 18 years old, 188 cm left-hander
  • Fastball tops out at 153kph
  • Lack of control of his pitches

王苡丞 (Wang Yi-Cheng), 1B / 3B

  • 18 years old
  • Hard-hitting corner infielder
  • Less polished high school hitter

There are also other players might have a chance to get selected in late second round or in the third round, if any team wish fill their middle infield and outfield gap.

  • 張宥鈞 (Chang Yu-Chun), CF
  • 周委宏 (Chou Wei-Hung), SS
  • 藍震威 (Lan Chen-Wei), SS
  • 張仁瑋 (Chang Jen-Wei), 2B-3B-SS
  • 曾宸佐 (Tseng Chen-Tso), OF

2 COMMENTS

  1. This looks like a stronger CPBL draft class than last year and it should help improve the talent level of the CPBL get closer to AA quality rather than A+ ball.

    • The best way of achieving that is to hire better foreign players. 3 per team at the 500K to 1M USD salary range (Aka, the KBO route).

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