The Los Angeles Dodgers officially signed 17-year-old Ko Ching-Hsien out of Taiwan to a contract worth $750,000. Ko and the club agreed to the contract at a press event on Monday, June 17 in Taipei.
The Dodgers first became aware of the outfielder after his stellar performance at the 2023 U-18 Baseball World Cup. During the tournament, Ko batted .550 with a home run and seven walks. He started all but one game for Taiwan and helped lead the team to an 8-1 record and a silver medal finish. The outfielder also flashed his athletic ability defensively during the tournament.
A left-handed batter who throws righty, Ko’s play has been likened to former Dodger Cody Bellinger by Dodgers’ director of Pacific Rim scouting Jon Deeble.
Ko is not the only young Taiwanese star picked up by an MLB team after the U-18 World Cup. Pitcher Lin Wei-en was signed by the Oakland Athletics earlier this month for $1.35 million. During the U-18 tournament, Lin threw thirteen innings without allowing an earned run and struck out fourteen batters.
Ko looks to continue the Dodgers’ recent success in signing Asian-born players, including Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Ohtani is the current NL MVP odds leader and is batting .309 with 19 home runs. Yamamoto started the season 6-2 with a 2.92 ERA in fourteen starts after straining his rotator cuff.
Photo Courtesy of Northwest Asian Weekly
