Complete 2017 Universiade Team Taiwan coverage

With the 2017 Universiade just around the corner, the Taiwanese junior baseball team is gearing up for the tournament.  With bunch of talented youngsters that will turn professional after this tournament, will team Taiwan repeat their success in 2015 and take home the gold medal?

Taiwanese 2015 Universiade baseball team. Photo Credit: (SSU.org.tw)

Here’s our complete coverage of this event, instead of making a new article everyday.  We’ll just continuously update this article through out the duration of the tournament.


2017 Taiwanese Universiade Team

The backbone of this 2017 Taiwanese team is made up by the national development squad which recently returned from their overseas training trip in the United States against the NCAA All-Star.  Here’s our preview of the 2017 Universiade Taiwanese baseball team roster.

2017 Taiwanese Universiade team training in USA. Photo Credit: (pb+ pbplus.me)

The 2017 Universiade Team Taiwan Roster

#POSNAMET/BUniversity
15LHP呂彥青 (Lu Yen-Ching)L/LNational Taiwan University of Sport
45RHP施子謙 (Shih Tzu-Chien)R/RNational Taiwan University of Sport
12RHP江國豪 (Chiang Kuo-Hao)R/RNational Taiwan University of Sport
22LHP林安可 (Lin An-Ko)L/LPrivate Chinese Culture University
72RHP吳俊杰 (Wu Chun-Chieh)R/RKainan University
31RHP吳承諭 (Wu Chen-Yu)R/RKainan University
41RHP李子揚 (Li Tzu-Yang)R/RNational Taiwan University of Sport
18RHP吳丞哲 (Wu Cheng-Che)R/RFu Jen Catholic University
85RHP陳明軒 (Chen Ming-Hsuan)R/RKainan University
86C張閔勛 (Chang Min-Hsun)R/RPrivate Chinese Culture University
27C吳松勳 (Wu Sung-Hsun)R/RKainan University
32IF蘇智傑 (Su Chih-Chieh)R/LPrivate Chinese Culture University
11IF吳桀睿 (Wu Chieh-Jui)R/RKainan University
37IF陳重廷 (Chen Chung-Ting)R/RPrivate Chinese Culture University
6IF張皓緯 (Chang Hao-Wei)R/RPrivate Chinese Culture University
83IF林立 (Lin Li)R/RNational Taiwan Sport University
2IF陳麒源 (Chen Chi-Yuan)R/RKainan University
10IF范國宸 (Fan Kuo-Chen)R/RNational Taiwan University of Sport
1OF陳重羽 (Chen Chung-Yu)R/RNational Taiwan Sport University
53OF王正棠 (Wang Cheng-Tang)R/LNational Taiwan University of Sport
58OF岳東華 (Yue Tung-Hua)R/LKainan University
34OF施冠宇 (Shih Kuang-Yu)R/RPrivate Chinese Culture University

CTBA event, another recruitment drama

Will try to keep this brief as possible, as the purpose of this article is for Universiade coverage.  You can read more about CTBA and their past wrong-doing and why a lot of baseball fans in Taiwan dislike them.

Since CTBA is running the formation of this 2017 junior national team, of course there’s going to be plenty of drama comes with it.  As CTBA forced 3 professional players to abandon their CPBL season for this low tier university tournament.

Which once again shown CTBA doesn’t care about the baseball development in Taiwan, all they care about is winning gold medal in order to have more funding from the government which they can put it back into their pocket.


2017 Universiade baseball schedule

  • G1 – 20th August 10:30 – Taiwan vs France
  • G2 – 22nd August 18:30 – Taiwan vs Czech Republic
  • G3 – 23rd August 18:30 – Taiwan vs South Korea

Probable pitchers and quick profile

Game 1 – 呂彥青 (Lu Yen-Ching)

The amateur LHP will take on France in game 1 of the tournament.  Lu has been the national team regular throughout his student baseball day, representing team Taiwan for various international tournaments from U18, U23, to the top tier major tournament like the Premier 12 in 2015.

At this stage Lu is considered to be one of the top premium university pitcher in Taiwan, and is expect to play in the oversea market after graduate from university next year.  Should Lu Yen-Ching decide to stay in Taiwan, he will most likely to be a first round draft pick (No later than 2nd round).

Here’s the pitching highlight of 呂彥青 (Lu Yen-Ching) taking on NCAA All-Star.  Which includes 2017 MLB 1st round draft pick Jeren Kendall & Jake Burger.

Game 2 – 陳明軒 (Chen Ming-Hsuan)

Speculations that Chen Ming-Hsuan will start against Czech Republic.  The RHP currently pitch for Fubon Guardians and able to clocked 151kph (93mph) on the gun.  The Guardians 2016 #4 draft pick is one of the top prospect that Guardians trying to develop into a starting pitcher.

So far in 2017, Chen posted a record of 8.53 ERA, 2.03 WHIP over 38 innings in the top team in CPBL.  Despite his no so impressive top team stats, Chen posted a solid record of 3.00 ERA, 1.53 WHIP over 30 innings in the Guardians farm team.

Game 3 – 林安可 (Lin An-Ko)

Speculations that LHP Lin An-Ko will take on the tough opponent South Korea in the final game of the group A.  Lin is able to hit 147kph (91mph) on the gun is wildly regarded as another top university pitcher that is going to play in the oversea market next year.  Definitely another potential CPBL 2018 top 3 round draft pick.


Pre-Universiade practice games

In preparation for the tournament.  A series of practice games have been set up for the Universiade team.  As they will take on the Taiwanese U18 national team and also the national team B which was made up by players who recently returned from Netherlands World Port Baseball Tournament.

7th August vs U18 National Team

Universiade Team 4 : U18 National Team 1

Kainan University RHP 吳俊杰 (Wu Chun-Chieh) pitched a 5 scoresless innings with 6 strikeouts.  According to the skipper Kuo-Li that he likes what he saw in Wu.  As Wu was able to keep his velocity at the same time have good control over his pitches.

The next step is to slowly increase Wu’s pitch count to 100” Said the Universiade team skipper.

8th August vs U18 National Team

Universiade Team 7 : U18 National Team 3

Starting pitcher 施子謙 (Shih Tzu-Chien) went 5 innings only gave up 2 hits.

My condition is pretty good today, so I was able to be more aggressive on the mound and attacking the strikeout”  Said Shih after the game.

9th August vs U18 National Team

Universiade Team 10 : U18 National Team 2

LHP 林安可 (Lin An-Ko) pitched a perfect 4 innings, retiring the first 12 batters he faced.  It is not until the 5th innings until the U18 team able to get a hit off him.  Lin strikeouts 5 with no walks.


14th August vs World Port National Team

Universiade Team 0 : Taiwanese World Port Team 3

Despite LHP 呂彥青 (Lu Yen-Ching) solid outing, where he went 6 innings and gave up 2 runs, the Universiade team’s bats stay quiet against the World Port with only 6 hits in the entire game.

15th August vs World Port National Team

Universiade Team 6 : World Port National Team 5

Starting pitcher 施子謙 (Shih Tzu-Chien) went 5 innings, gave up 2 runs.  Despite leading for majority of the game, the World Port team fought back and scored 3 runs against the Universiade team’s closer 江國豪 (Chiang Kuo-Hao) in the bottom of 9th.

With game-tying and winning runs on base, Chiang settled down and slam the door on the World Port team by striking out the final batter.

16th August vs World Port National Team

Universiade Team 2 : World Port National Team 2

The practice game was not televised, so there’s no highlight video.  LHP 林安可 (Lin An-Ko) went 5 innings gave up 5 hits and 2 runs.  Fubon Guardians 陳明軒 (Chen Ming-Hsuan) also made an appearance in the 6th inning gave up a walk.

It is worth noting the Universiade team also practiced the “extra inning rule” in the 9th inning by placing 2 runners on 1st and 2nd base at the start of the inning.  Closer 江國豪 (Chiang Kuo-Hao) was able to handled the situation and delivered a 1-2-3 inning.

The team’s primary SS 岳東華 (Yueh Tung-Hua) who has been sidelined for almost 2 weeks on twisted ankle has started batting practice today.

He is currently listed as day-to-day.  Depends on Yueh’s condition, we’ll use him as late inning pinch hitter during the tournament” Said skipper Kuo-Li.


20th August vs France (Game 1)

Taiwan 3 : France 4

Major upset at the Universiade opener.  As France scored 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th on a walk-off error by the Taiwanese centrefielder.  Here’s our full recap on Game 1


22nd August vs Czech Republic (Game 2)

Taiwan 11 : Czech Republic 0

Team Taiwan rips 16 hits including a solo homer from captain 陳重羽 (Chen Chung-Yu), crushes Czech Republic 11 to 0 in mercy rule-shortened game at the Universiade.  Here’s our full recap on Game 2


23rd August vs South Korea (Game 3)

Taiwan 3 : South Korea 6

Lack of concentration has cost team Taiwan’s chance to make it to the next round in the 2017 Universiade.  As the game-tying run 陳重廷 (Chen Chung-Ting) was picked off by a LHP in the bottom of the 8th inning.  Team Taiwan unable to recover, dropping the game 3-6 to South Korea.  Here’s our full recap on Game 3


Further Readings

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