Son of the Dragon is Heading to NPB

The postseason movement of Wei Chuan Dragons’ ace Hsu Jo-Hsi has been one of the worst-kept secrets of the past few weeks. Since late November, multiple Taiwanese media outlets had already reported his contract details, and the player himself had even passively confirmed the move during interviews. However, for some unknown reasons, the Dragons organisation were awfully quiet about the whole thing during that time.

Fast forward to December 22, the Wei Chuan Dragons finally officially announced that the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks have acquired Hsu Jo-Hsi (徐若熙) through the CPBL posting system and completed his signing. The 25-year-old Taiwanese power pitcher will wear number 18 with the Hawks, a number traditionally reserved for the team’s ace in Japan. An official signing press conference will be held in Taipei on December 26, with senior executives from the Hawks, Dragons, and CPBL in attendance.

While neither the SoftBank Hawks nor the Wei Chuan Dragons have publicly disclosed the contract details, several credible Taiwanese media outlets report that Hsu Jo-Hsi has signed a three-year deal worth 15 million USD. The Dragons are expected to receive a posting fee of approximately 2 million USD from the Hawks.

Below is Hsu Jo-Hsi’s contract breakdown by ETtoday

  • $1 million USD in signing bonus.
  • $9 million USD guaranteed salary ($3M per year).
  • $5 million USD in performance-based incentive.

“I’m grateful to the SoftBank Hawks for giving me the opportunity to challenge myself on a higher-level stage,” said Hsu Jo-Hsi. “It’s a great honour to join a team with such a long history and a prestigious record. I’ll give everything I have on and off the field and strive to repay the team’s expectations with my performances.”

“I also want to express my gratitude to my former team, the Wei Chuan Dragons. From the very beginning of my professional career, the Dragons gave me a stage to develop and showcase myself, along with tremendous support along the way. The Dragons are the starting point of my career, and that will never change,” Hsu Jo-Hsi added.

The Dragons’ general manager also offered his well wishes: “We sincerely hope Hsu Jo-Hsi continues to grow in NPB, showcasing his abilities and striving towards even greater goals. At the same time, we are honoured to establish a cooperative relationship with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks and look forward to deeper exchanges between our two organisations.”

Hsu Jo-Hsi’s Quick Career Recap 2019-2025

Hsu Jo-Hsi’s professional career did not begin smoothly. Despite being selected in the first round of the 2019 CPBL Draft by the Dragons, a string of injuries delayed his first-team debut until 2021. When it finally came, he announced himself in specular fashion. Using just 62 pitches, he threw 3.2 scoreless innings and struck out 11 batters. He finished the 2021 season with a solid 3.11 ERA (119 ERA+) and 1.11 WHIP over 81 innings, alongside an elite 29.5 K%.

Unfortunately, in 2022, Hsu Jo-Hsi underwent Tommy John surgery and did not return to the mound until August 2023. Under strict pitch-count limitations, he appeared in just five games in 2023, compiling a remarkable 1.17 ERA and 0.78 WHIP over 15.1 innings, with a 31 K% and a 26.3 Whiff%. His overpowering fastball and swing-and-miss ability clearly remained intact, despite having a major elbow surgery.

Over the following seasons, Hsu Jo-Hsi continued to establish himself as one of the CPBL’s top domestic starters. In 2024, he recorded a 2.47 ERA (148 ERA+) across 94.2 innings. He took another step forward in 2025, increasing his workload and posting an outstanding 2.05 ERA (168 ERA+) and 0.81 WHIP over 114 innings, along with a superb 28.0 K%, 27.2 Whiff% and 3.26 BB%, placing him on the top of the pitching percentiles.

Hsu Jo-Hsi’s Pitching Arsenal

Hsu Jo-Hsi primarily relies on a four-seam fastball that typically sits around 151 kph and can reach up to 158 kph. His arsenal also includes a cutter, slider, curveball, and his signature killer out pitch, a split-changeup that boasts an exceptional 45 Whiff%.

While his fastball does not generate high spin rates, sitting around 2000 to 2100 rpm during the 2025 CPBL season, hitters still struggled with its movement. Looking at data from the 2025 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers, Hsu Jo-Hsi averaged a fastball spin rate of 1933 rpm, well below the MLB average of around 2300 rpm. However, his Induced Vertical Break (IVB) measured an impressive 18.6 inches, significantly higher than the MLB average of 15.8 inches. Although this is a small sample size, it may help explain why his fastball has been so effective.

Potential Challenges for Hsu Jo-Hsi in NPB

As Hsu Jo-Hsi makes the jump to NPB in 2026, he will face a much higher calibre of hitters with stronger plate discipline and the ability to foul off tough pitches. It will be interesting to see whether his fastball and split-changeup can remain effective at the next level, and whether his body can handle the increased workload. Given the size of his contract by NPB standards, expectations will be high, as is often the case for foreign players in Asian leagues.

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