CPBL Foreign Players Updates Volume #330
Fubon Guardians News: Keyvius Sampson
On May 13, the Fubon Guardians announced the release of Keyvius Sampson by de-registering him from the active roster. The 33-year-old American right-hander finished his 2024 CPBL season with a 6.17 ERA and 1.71 WHIP over 23.1 innings.
According to the Guardians’ general manager, Keyvius Sampson’s contract is until the end of July. Unless Sampson requests to end his contract early, he will still be active in the minor league.
It’s important to note that as per CPBL regulation, once a player has been de-registered, they are no longer eligible to play on the first team for the rest of the year. While they can technically still play in the minor league, in most cases, they tend to choose to seek opportunities elsewhere.
Fubon Guardians News: Jake Dahlberg
With Keyvius Sampson permanently removed from the active roster, the Fubon Guardians are going to call up Jake Dahlberg from the farm team this week.
Jake Dahlberg was a member of the Rakuten Monkeys in 2023, and he signed with the Fubon Guardians this year as their backup foreign pitcher. In five games in the CPBL minor league, Jake Dahlberg has compiled a 3.54 ERA and 1.25 WHIP over 28 innings.
Further Readings
Foreign players come and go. Therefore, we have compiled a tracker to monitor all foreign player signings for the 2024 CPBL season.
If his contract runs to the end of July, that sounds like a five month contract. It would make sense for Sampson to keep pitching in the CPBL minor leagues for financial reasons because his only realistic options are the Mexican League or an Indy-A. If he pitched better in CPBL minors, he could potentially sign with another CPBL at the end of July.
It will be interesting to see what Dahlberg does with another CPBL majors shot. A 3.54 ERA at the minor league level isn’t particularly promising.
If the Guardians are still paying him CPBL major league contract, then definitely stay in Taiwan until the end of July. I wonder if there is a different contract for them in the CPBL minor league.
Assuming that Trevor Bauer isn’t going to sign a contract to pitch in the CPBL, the Mexican League pitchers I like right now as possible mid-season CPBL replacements are Zac Grotz (age 31), Erick Leal (29), Zach Mort (27), Tyler Viza (29), and Connor Menez (29). If a CPBL team were to sign Matt Dermody (33) and he pitched in a CPBL game, he would have pitched in all four major leagues plus Mexico.
Matt Dermody was rumoured to be on the Uni-Lions’ radar this offseason. I think it is also worth to bring back Tyler Viza and Matthew Kent, both had previous CPBL experience.
Matthew Kent does not appear to be pitching anywhere this year, so he could be retired. He certainly could have gotten a job in an Indy A league and possibly Mexico.