Taiwan's U-18 Baseball Training Squad Begins Camp; Lai Chien-Fan, Lin Chun-Hsi, Ho Hua Withdraw Due to Injuries

(Central News Agency reporter Hsieh Ching-wen, New Taipei, July 13) Taiwan's training squad for the Asian U-18 Baseball Championship began camp today. Three players selected for the squad—Lai Chien-Fan, Lin Chun-Hsi, and Ho Hua, all of whom have signed contracts with Major League Baseball organizations—have withdrawn due to injuries. Head coach Yang Hsiao-Cheng admitted the team's strength will be affected, but believes the replacement players are of comparable quality.

The Asian U-18 Baseball Championship will be held in Taiwan this September. New Taipei City's team has been granted the right to organize and train the national squad. Head coach Yang Hsiao-Cheng leads the 36-player roster, which was announced after the Yu Shan Cup on June 20. The training squad reported for duty yesterday and began intensive training today.

Originally, the squad included three top prospects signed with MLB teams: Lai Chien-Fan (New York Yankees), Lin Chun-Hsi (Pittsburgh Pirates), and Ho Hua (Philadelphia Phillies). However, all three withdrew due to injuries, providing medical documentation. They have been replaced by pitchers Li Cheng-Chun (Beikei Vocational High School), Chiu Hsiao-You (Pumen High School), and Yao Yu-Yu (Ku Pao Senior High School).

Yang Hsiao-Cheng told the Central News Agency that losing three strong pitchers inevitably impacts team strength, but emphasized that the incoming players are capable and the gap will not be significant. Lin Chun-Hsi was initially considered for a two-way role as both pitcher and hitter. With his withdrawal, only Chang Yi-An remains in the current roster capable of fulfilling such a dual role.

The training squad will hold five intra-squad 'Blue vs. White' games starting July 16 to evaluate player performance. Each pitcher is expected to throw approximately five innings. Yang stated that the pitchers' roles will largely mirror their responsibilities at their respective school teams. In student baseball, most pitchers possess the versatility to perform both as starters and relievers. (Editor: Kuan Chung-Wei) 1150713