Yankees sign Taiwanese teen pitcher Lai Chien-fan

Eighteen-year-old Taiwanese right-handed pitcher Lai Chien-fan has signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees, the team announced Tuesday. The deal includes a signing bonus of $872,500, marking a significant step for the young talent in his pursuit of a professional baseball career.

Lai, known for his fastball velocity reaching 91-94 mph, was a key contributor to Taiwan's bronze medal victory at the World Baseball Softball Confederation's U-18 Baseball World Cup last September. During the tournament, he showcased his skills with 14 strikeouts over seven innings in three relief appearances.

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As I have gotten to know Chien-Fan, I have seen a focused and self-assured individual with great aptitude and a desire to improve.

Ranked as the highest-rated Taiwanese pitcher in the 2026 draft class, Lai is set to become the third Taiwanese player in Yankees franchise history to be signed as a non-drafted free agent. He follows the path of notable players like ace Wang Chien-ming, who joined the Yankees in 2000, and infielder Kuo Fu-lin, who signed in 2009.

MLB.com highlighted the signing as a major achievement for Yankees director of international scouting Mario Garza. Garza expressed confidence in Lai's potential, noting his "focused and self-assured individual with great aptitude and a desire to improve." He added that Lai possesses an "impressive multi-pitch mix, including a heavy fastball and quality off-speed pitches with solid command," believing these traits will allow him to succeed within the Yankees' development system and potentially become a productive major league pitcher. The signing also signals the club's renewed commitment to cultivating Taiwanese talent.

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Through a scouting lens, he has an impressive multi-pitch mix, including a heavy fastball and quality off-speed pitches with solid command. This combination of traits allows us to believe that he will acclimate himself well in our development system, maximize his on-field potential and eventually become a productive major league pitcher.