CPBL Foreign Players Updates Volume #392
Uni-Lions News: C.C. Mercedes
On July 26, Vamos Sports reported that the KBO’s Kiwoom Heroes have purchased the contract of C.C. Mercedes from the Uni-Lions. According to the Uni-Lions manager, the team was informed just a day earlier that Cristopher Crisostomo Mercedes will be heading to Korea next week.
“The deal was handled entirely by his agency in the United States. We were kept in the dark the whole time and didn’t even get a chance to make him an offer to stay in Taiwan,” said the Uni-Lions manager to UDN.
C.C. Mercedes, the 31-year-old Dominican left-hander, wrapped up his 2025 CPBL season with a solid 2.57 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 17.3% strikeout rate, and 4.18% walk rate over 84 innings.
With his departure, the Uni-Lions’ current group of foreign players includes Yohander Méndez, Brock Dykxhoorn, Félix Peña, and Joe Wieland.
Speaking to CNA, the Uni-Lions’ GM said the team is now actively targeting two new foreign pitchers and will work to accelerate the signing process.
Uni-Lions’ C.C. Mercedes struck out 4 over 6 scoreless innings. pic.twitter.com/pyCXENDfLU
— CPBL STATS (Taiwan Dark Lemon) 🪬🔮 (@GOCPBL) April 12, 2025
Further Readings
Foreign players come and go. Therefore, we have compiled a foreign player tracker, and I’ll be updating that list regularly to keep pace with the ever-changing roster shuffle throughout the 2025 CPBL season.
Mercedes must have had something in his contract that allowed him to leave if a KBO team made an offer he liked. If he had signed at the beginning of the season to a full season contract, the Uni-Lions probably could have held him to it.
Yep, he had an escape clause in his contract. However, traditionally speaking, the normal procedure for agency to act is to inform the team earlier about the situation, so the team can sign other foreign players or make an offer to keep him in Taiwan. Apparently the Uni-Lions were kept in the dark the whole time.