Starting pitcher Mario Sanchez will return to Taiwan for a third consecutive summer, signing a two-year deal with the CTBC Brothers of the Chinese Professional Baseball League.
The news was first reported by Venezuelan reporter Cesar Sequera of El Emergente.
Sequera reported that the signing was something of a surprise, as Sanchez had played the last two summers with the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions, and that club asked him to stop playing winter ball with the Aguilas del Zulia in the Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional.
Sanchez rose as high as Triple-A in both the Washington Nationals and Minnesota Twins organizations before going to Asia. He spent 2023 with the Kia Tigers of the Korea Baseball Organization, posting a 5.94 ERA over 63 2/3 innings in 12 appearances.
He played the last two years with the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions in the CPBL, where he holds a career 2.19 ERA in 36 appearances, striking out 209 and walking 49 in 222 innings of work.
He played for Venezuela in the 2024 WBSC Premier12, throwing six innings in Venezuela’s 5-3 win against the United States in Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico, during pool play, allowing one earned run on three hits, striking out 10 and walking none. Due to visa issues, he had to travel back to Caracas before joining Venezuela in Tokyo, making a 30-hour trip via Istanbul, and then serving as the opener against the United States at the Tokyo Dome, allowing two runs on one hit and four walks in a 6-1 loss in the bronze medal game.
Photo: Mario Sanchez delivers a pitch for Venezuela in a 5-3 win against the U.S. at Coloso del Pacifico in Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico at the 2024 WBSC Premier12. Sanchez went six innings and struck out 10. (Photo Courtesy of WBSC)
