Taishang Eagles agree with new foreign pitcher with MLB, KBO experience

The Taishang Eagles have announced an agreement with a new foreign pitcher, bolstering their roster ahead of the August 31st deadline for foreign player acquisitions. The team is finalizing the contract, with an official announcement expected soon.

While the team's general manager, Liu Dong-yang, described the pitcher as having Asian experience and being a candidate from last year's scouting list, reports suggest the new signing is 36-year-old right-hander Wilmer Font. Font boasts experience in Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO), and has most recently been playing in the Mexican League.

In MLB, Font played for teams including the Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, Tampa Bay Rays, and Toronto Blue Jays, accumulating a record of 7 wins and 10 losses with a 5.82 ERA. He also had a successful stint in the KBO with the SSG Landers in 2021 and 2022, achieving 13 wins in the latter season.

Under current Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) rules, teams can register four foreign players, with three allowed on the active roster and two on the field simultaneously. The Eagles currently have three foreign pitchers (Houdini, Cannon, and Ace) and one foreign hitter (Mo-Wing). The new pitcher is expected to arrive in Taiwan within 7 to 10 days, begin in the minor league, and be evaluated for promotion to the major league roster before the deadline.

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The new foreign pitcher has Asian experience and was one of the new foreign pitcher candidates the team was looking for last year. This year, when looking for new foreign pitchers, the scout recommended this candidate again.