On Friday, the Chinese Professional Baseball League’s CTBC Brothers agreed to a record-setting contract extension with 24-year-old shortstop Chiang Kun-yu. Chiang’s new 10-year deal is worth $4.93 million, including $333,000 in performance incentives, according to CPBL Stats on X.
Focus Taiwan reports Chiang’s contract includes a player option after the seventh year of his new contract, which would allow him to become a free agent. The shortstop has spent his entire six-year CPBL career with the Brothers, making his debut in 2019 when the team went by the Chinatrust Brothers.
“After discussing the details, we recognized Chiang’s determination to continue wearing the yellow jersey, leading to this 10-year guaranteed contract,” CTBC Brothers general manager Liu Chih-wei told Taiwan News. “We look forward to his continued outstanding performances.”
Chiang is the first player in franchise history to sign a contract that is 10 years or longer. He slashed .278/.345/.349 in 94 games in 2024 and is one of the best defensive shortstops in the CPBL. In 547 career games, Chiang has made 52 errors in 2,503 chances, which is good for a .979 fielding percentage. He has won five consecutive CPBL Gold Glove Awards for his excellent fielding at shortstop.
Offensively, Chiang is a contact hitter and uses good speed on the basepaths. Chiang has stolen 47 bases in 58 career attempts. He’s hit 18 home runs in 2,233 plate appearances, including a career-high six during the 2022 regular season.
Internationally, Chiang played for the Taiwanese national team in the 2018 U-18 Asian Baseball Championship, the 2023 World Baseball Classic, and, most recently, the WBSC Premier12 2024. He went 2-for-4 with a double in the Premier12 championship game at the Tokyo Dome, helping Chinese Taipei pull off a 4-0 upset over Japan. The victory is considered one of the most significant moments in Taiwanese baseball history.
The Brothers will have Chiang as their everyday shortstop for at least the next seven years. They’ve won the Taiwan Series in three (2021, 2022, 2024) of the last four CPBL seasons and are tied with the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions for the most titles in league history, with 10.
