Wei Chuan Dragons' Hsu Po-hung shows potential in first start; aims for more power

Wei Chuan Dragons' 20-year-old outfielder Hsu Po-hung made his first CPBL first-team start yesterday. Manager Yeh Chun-chang praised his talent but noted that his physique is still a bit thin, leaving room for further development. Hsu revealed that he has been working hard to gain weight, adding about 5kg this year, in hopes of hitting for more power. Hsu was selected by the Dragons in the 6th round of the 2024 draft and made his first-team debut last year, recording his first career hit in his first at-bat. In yesterday's game against the CTBC Brothers, he started as the 9th hitter and right fielder, recording a left-field hit and a stolen base in three at-bats. Manager Yeh stated before the game that Hsu's performance was generally good, but he needs to refine some details. He noted that Hsu has talent, speed, and arm strength, but his physique is slightly thin, and he is still some distance from what the coaching staff expects. Hsu expressed that while last year he was a substitute, this year he wants to demonstrate his ability to take a starting position. Despite the nerves of his first start, he had been preparing after advice from veteran Lin Chih-sheng. He is currently focused on weight training and increasing his food intake to improve his physical condition and power.