Taiwanese pitcher Lee Chen-hsun promoted to 1A, continues push for majors

Taiwanese "fireballer" Lee Chen-hsun, known as "A-Yao," has advanced to the 1A level of minor league baseball, marking a career milestone. Lee, who joined the San Francisco Giants organization in 2023 with a signing bonus of $800,000 USD (approximately NT$24.24 million), is steadily progressing toward the major leagues.

Lee's journey has been challenging. After a difficult rookie season in the rookie league, where he appeared in four games with a 15.19 ERA, he underwent surgery and missed the entire 2024 season. He also sat out in 2025, enduring a two-year hiatus from the game before returning to the pitcher's mound this season.

This year, Lee has shown resilience and improvement. He pitched in 13 games in the rookie league, recording a 3-4 win-loss record with a 5.47 ERA. Over 24.2 innings, he allowed 15 runs, struck out 31 batters, and issued 13 walks. His performance, including a batting average against of 0.223 and a WHIP of 1.38, earned him the promotion to 1A, signaling continued progress in his pursuit of a major league career.