Now that Chinese Taipei has advanced to the World Baseball Classic for 2026, several impactful players could join their squad for a shot at the WBC Championship. It wasn’t an easy road in the Qualifiers for Chinese Taipei, losing their first game to Spain and losing to Nicaragua, but they were able to fight back to defeat South Africa and put the icing on the cake by defeating Spain to advance. Here are some players that could join Chinese Taipei for 2026:
Kungkuan Giljegiljaw
One of the most prolific power hitters from Taiwan who wasn’t on their Qualifiers rosters was Kungkuan Giljegiljaw. The 30-year-old spent 2014-2019 with the Cleveland Guardians organization but never appeared in an MLB game. For the past four seasons, he has played with the Wei Chuan Dragons, part of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). Giljegiljaw played in 120 games in 2024, hitting for a .279 average, blasting 23 home runs, and driving in 79 RBIs.
Lyle Lin
Lyle Lin opted out of the World Baseball Classic Qualifiers, signing a minor league contract with the Athletics so that he could battle for a backup catcher’s role for Spring Training. He spent 2019-2022 with the Arizona Diamondbacks organization and was with the Blue Jays organization for 2023. He re-signed with the DBacks on a minor league contract for 2024. Lin played in 20 games between High-A and Double-A, hitting .368 with a home run and eight RBIs.
Hao-Yu Lee
Detroit Tigers prospect Hao-Yu Lee is an intriguing player who could shape the middle infield for Chinese Taipei. The 22-year-old signed with the Phillies in 2018 and would spend until 2023 there, getting traded to the Detroit Tigers. Lee had one of his best seasons in 2024, playing with Detroit’s Double-A affiliate. In 87 games, Lee hit for a .298 average, with a career-high 12 home runs and 56 RBIs, stealing 16 bases.
Tsung-Che Cheng
Current Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Tsung-Che Cheng has expressed his interest in playing for Chinese Taipei, hoping to get more of his opportunity in 2025. The Pirates added him to their 40-man roster at the end of the 2023 season. He’s been with the Pirates organization since 2021 and reached Triple-A for the first time in 2024. Between Double-A and Triple-A, he played in 132 games, hitting for a .225 average, hitting 11 home runs, with 55 RBIs, and stealing 17 bases.
Yu-Min Lin
Lin certainly showcased his talent for Chinese Taipei during their championship run at the Premier12. The 21-year-old joined the Arizona Diamondbacks organization in 2022 and has climbed the ranks since joining them. He reached Triple-A for the first time in 2024, spending most of the season with the DBacks Double-A affiliate. Overall, in 2024, he made 21 starts, posting a 3-6 record with a 4.05 ERA, striking out 101 batters across 104.1 innings pitched. Lin will certainly be a favorite for their starting rotation.
Wen-Hui Pan
Pan signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2023 and has pitched in the organization since then. The 22-year-old pitched across three levels in 2024, reaching their High-A affiliate. Throwing in 18 games, he would pitch to an 0-2 record, posting a 2.15 ERA, collecting one save, striking out 35 batters in 29.1 innings pitched. He could provide valuable innings as a set-up man in Chinese Taipei’s bullpen.
