Wang Wei-Chung Returns to Pittsburgh Pirates
Two days after being DFA by the Oakland Athletics, the 27-year-old Taiwanese left-hander Wang Wei-Chung has found a new team in the MLB. On August 31, the Pittsburgh Pirates have claimed Wang Wei-Chung from the waivers.
LH reliever Wei-Chung Wang claimed on waivers by his original team, the Pirates.
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) August 31, 2019
As a reliever for the Athletics, Wang Wei-Chung pitched a total of 27 innings with a 3.33 ERA and 1.22 WHIP so far this season. On August 29, the Athletics designed Wang for assignment to make the 40-man roster spot for prospect Sheldon Neuse.
王維中 (Wang Wei-Chung) went 2.1 innings with 3K today against the Angels. #MLBTW pic.twitter.com/egC7VwUMxz
— CPBL STATS (@GOCPBL) June 28, 2019
Hello Old Friend: Full Circle for Wang Wei-Chung
With the Pirates picked up Wang Wei-Chung off the waivers, he has come full circle in his baseball journey and return to the Pirates once again.
In 2011, the Pittsburgh Pirates signed Wang Wei-Chung out of Taiwan as an international free agent. In 2013, he was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers via Rule 5 Draft and leapt from Rookie ball straight to the MLB.
After several seasons working his way up the Brewers’ minor league system, he eventually made it back to to the MLB in 2017. Wang left the MLB system for the KBO in 2018 and returned to the United States and signed a minor league deal with the Oakland Athletics.
We’ll see how Wang does in Pittsburgh with what’s left of the 2019 season. I could see Wang pitching in the CPBL as soon 2021 if he doesn’t pitch well in MLB in 2020. If he could join the CPBL while he’s still reasonably young and if his arm is still healthy, he could have at least a couple of big years in the CPBL.
He will need to sort out his military service before entering the CPBL draft. A way to do it would be to participate in the upcoming Premier12 tournament and pitch for Taiwan. But with MLB not allowing players from the 40-man roster to participate, he probably can’t play.
If he is healthy enough to start in the CPBL, he could potentially looking at a $250,000 to $350,000 USD annual salary in Taiwan.
Another route is head to NPB with a developmental contract and wait for his chance to 1st team. Wang is a potential left-handed starting pitcher with 150+ kph fastball. I think his agency, Boras Corp can probably swing that if they really want to get Wang to Japan.