Wang Yu-fei Calls Drafted Like a Dream, Thanks Brothers for Seeing His Strengths

(CNA reporter Hsieh Ching-wen, Taipei, July 1) Puyuma train crash survivor Wang Yu-fei was drafted by the CTBC Brothers this year. The difficult journey has made him say it feels like a dream. He will work hard to face this new chapter and thanks the Brothers not just for his story, but for seeing his strengths.

Outfielder Wang Yu-fei was in junior high school at Beinan Junior High in 2018 when he was involved in the Puyuma train accident. He suffered severe injuries, including serious lung contusion, liver laceration, and a fractured left pelvis. After a long rehabilitation, he returned to the baseball field. After graduating from junior high, he attended Pingzhen High School and is currently a rising senior at CTBC College. He entered the CPBL draft this year and was selected by the Brothers in the 11th round.

Wang Yu-fei told CNA reporters that on the day of the draft, he watched the broadcast with his classmates. When he heard his name, he was so happy that he couldn't cry. He first shared the good news in his family group chat, saying, "You've all worked hard, I love you." He joked that his family must have cried secretly.

Wang Yu-fei has a deep connection with CTBC. In 2020, he was invited to throw the ceremonial first pitch at the Brothers' home stadium, Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium, during the CPBL championship series. At that time, he left a deep impression on Peng Cheng-min, who was the designated hitter. This year, Wang Yu-fei interacted with Peng Cheng-min at the Brothers' tryout. In this year's draft, Peng Cheng-min, in his capacity as team leader, selected Wang Yu-fei.

Wang Yu-fei recalled that after returning to the field from his accident injuries, all he felt was happiness and enjoyment. After graduating from high school, he faced another choice. He applied to university teams but was not admitted. He first went to a military academy but failed the physical examination. With the help of his junior high coach, he went to CTBC College to play baseball, allowing him to continue his baseball career.

Wang Yu-fei assessed that his technical grasp has improved during his college years, and his mindset has also changed a lot. He used to have high self-expectations and would get stuck in negative thoughts and doubt himself when he didn't perform well. Now, he can shift his mindset and find problems from repeated failures.

"I never thought I could make it this far; it feels like a dream," Wang Yu-fei said, reflecting on the difficulties he has faced. He also stated that getting a ticket to professional baseball is just the beginning. He is embarking on a new journey and must continue to improve, otherwise, he will be eliminated quickly.

After experiencing the excitement of throwing the first pitch at the Brothers' home stadium in 2020, Wang Yu-fei looks forward to officially playing at the Brothers' home stadium in the future. He saw that Peng Cheng-min mentioned that the evaluation criteria for drafting him were still his skills. "This lets me know that this is the result of hard work, not just because of my story, but because they saw my strengths. Thank you, Brothers, for giving me this opportunity." (Edited by Huang Ming-hsi) 0701

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