MLB Draft: 'Captain America' Kolby Branch thrilled to hear draft news from Taiwan
Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Kolby Branch, captain of the U.S. elite baseball team, was selected by the Texas Rangers in the 8th round of the MLB draft while in Taiwan.
- Branch expressed his excitement about being drafted and his positive impressions of Taiwan's culture and people.
- The U.S. team, led by Branch, advanced to the championship game of the four-nation elite baseball tournament in Taiwan.
Kolby Branch, the captain of the U.S. elite baseball team, received exciting news late at night in Taiwan: he was selected by the Texas Rangers in the 8th round of the MLB draft. Branch, a shortstop from the University of Georgia, learned of the selection while watching the broadcast with his parents.
The draft was at 2 p.m. local time, and I received the call and notification late at night here. I was really happy. I waited a long time for this good news.
"The draft was at 2 p.m. local time, and I received the call and notification late at night here. I was really happy," Branch said. "I waited a long time for this good news."
Branch, who previously hit a home run against Taiwan in his first game, has been a key player for the U.S. team during their three games in Taiwan. He has led the team to three consecutive wins, advancing them to the championship game.
The people here are very friendly.
This is Branch's first time in Asia, and he shared his positive impressions of Taiwan. "The people here are very friendly," he noted. "The food culture is a bit different, with a lot of rice and meat. The breakfast provided at the hotel was very good."
The food culture is a bit different, with a lot of rice and meat. The breakfast provided at the hotel was very good.
He also expressed his enjoyment of the experience of competing against teams with different playing styles from various countries. Branch mentioned interacting with players from other teams at the hotel and on the field, particularly chatting with players from the Japanese team. The U.S. team is now preparing for the championship game.
Everyone cares about each other. We have been united during these three weeks of training camp, and we are excited to play in Taiwan. We are ready for tomorrow's championship game.
Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.