CPBL Foreign Players Updates Volume #285
CTBC Brothers News: Eric Stout
On July 15, Sport Midnight, a popular Taiwanese basketball Instagram account, hinted that the CTBC Brothers are going to sign Eric Stout. The following day, on July 16, the MLB transactions page showed that the Seatle Mariners released Eric Stout from their Triple-A team.
When asked by the media, the CTBC Brothers’ GM did not confirm nor deny the signing rumour, but they told TSNA that they are currently in the process of buying out a new foreign player’s contract.
Fast forward to July 19, the CTBC Brothers finally confirmed and announced the signing of 30-year-old American left-hander Eric Stout. According to the team, he is set to arrive in Taiwan this week.
Eric Stout was great today. Final line: 5IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, 8K, 73-48. pic.twitter.com/OLmIclJ4SX
— Mariners Minors (@MiLBMariners) June 26, 2023
Eric Stout began his professional career in 2014 with the Kansas City Royals organisation and made his MLB debut in 2018, where he logged 2.1 innings for the Royals. Over the next few years, between 2019 to 2021, he was bouncing between the American Association, Puerto Rican Winter League and the Miami Marlins Triple-A team.
In 2022, he returned to the Major League and pitched for the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates. In 20 games, he compiled a 5.64 ERA and 1.83 WHIP over 22.1 innings of work.
Prior to the signing with the CTBC Brothers, Eric Stout was active within the Seattle Mariners system, pitching for their Triple-A team. He posted a 4.20 ERA and 1.50 WHIP across 40.2 innings.
With the signing of Eric Stout, the CTBC Brothers currently have José De Paula, Francisco Peña, Tyler Viza and Emilio Vargas as their foreign players on the active roster.
Further Readings
Foreign players comes and goes, therefore we compiled a foreign players tracker to keep track of all the foreign players signing for the 2023 CPBL season.
Eric Stout has been on my radar as a possible CPBL pitcher for several years. He pitched well in the Puerto Rican Winter League for three seasons and made it back to the MLB majors in 2022. He was pitching well enough at AAA Tacoma this season that one would have to think that Stout believes that his future career prospects would be brightest pitching in Asia.
Pitch well enough in the CPBL, there is a possibility to land a contract in the KBO.