The CPBL, LMB, and NPB have all been active in the offseason signing different players with the biggest news being the signing of former MLB Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer. Here are some of the biggest signings in Japan, Mexico, and Taiwan so far.
Yokohama DeNA BayStars Reunite with Star Pitcher Trevor Bauer
Trevor Bauer, 34, has signed a contract to reunite with the Yokohama DeNA Baystars in Japan on Jan. 26 Bauer is a right-handed pitcher, who previously pitched with the BayStars in the NPB in 2023. In 2023 with the Yokohama DeNA Baystars, he pitched 130 2/3 innings with 130 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.76. Last season Bauer pitched with Diablos Rojos del Mexico in LMB and pitched 83 1/3 innings with 120 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.48.
Trevor Bauer is an American pitcher who pitched 10 MLB seasons from 2012-2021 and made his MLB debut with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2012. He went to the World Series with the Cleveland Indians in 2016 and they lost in seven games to the Chicago Cubs. He was an All-Star with the Indians in 2018 and was traded to the Cincinnati Reds at the 2019 trade deadline.
In 2020, he won the National League Cy Young and the ERA title with a 1.73 ERA in the shortened season. He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2021 season but was placed on administrative leave after making 17 starts for the Dodgers, due to sexual assault allegations. He was then suspended for 324 games on April 29, 2022, for violating the league’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault Violation Policy. The suspension was appealed and reduced to 194 games. He was reinstated on Dec. 22, 2022, and released by the Dodgers on Jan. 6, 2023. He is still eligible for a return to MLB but he hasn’t received any offers.
El Águila de Veracruz Signed Venezuelan Infielder Yangervis Solarte In LMB
Yangervis Solarte, 37, signed with the El Águila de Veracruz on Jan. 11 per the LMB X account.
Desde Valencia, Venezuela 🇻🇪 a @elaguilabeisbol 🦅 llega un infielder con experiencia en la gran carpa y ya conocido en la Liga Mexicana de Beisbol 👀
Este y más movimientos de registraron la tarde de ayer
Consúltalos a continuación 📝: https://t.co/XO4DvuZNUQ… pic.twitter.com/WGd9Hr4MHK
— Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (@LigaMexBeis) January 12, 2025
Solarte made his MLB debut with the New York Yankees in 2014 and played the majority of his six-year career with the San Diego Padres. His last MLB appearance was with the San Francisco Giants in 2019.
His MLB numbers are 75 home runs, 307 RBI and he has a slash line of .258/.315/.408 in 2,407 at-bats.
Solarte played in Venezuela this winter for Tiburones de La Guaira in the LVBP. He also played for the Algodoneros de Unión Laguna and the Guerreros de Oaxaca in LMB last season.
Dorados de Chihuahua Sign Former Gold Glove Shortstop Andrelton Simmons In LMB
Andrelton Simmons, 35, signed with the Dorados de Chihuahua on Jan. 12 per the LMB X account.
4️⃣ veces guante de oro en MLB y bat de platino, aterriza en @doradoschihLMB 🟣 para este 2025
Andrelton Simmons se suma al equipo de Chihuahua para esta temporada 💣 #BeisbolizaTuVida ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/4xnMXyD4XG
— Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (@LigaMexBeis) January 12, 2025
Simmons made his MLB debut with the Atlanta Braves in 2012 and spent the majority of his career with the Los Angeles Angels. Simmons was arguably the best defensive shortstop in MLB during his career and won four Gold Gloves and a Platinum Glove. Simmons made his last MLB appearance in 2022 with the Chicago Cubs.
His MLB numbers are 70 home runs, 444 RBI, 72 stolen bases, and a slash line of .263/.312/.366 in 4,441 at-bats.
Simmons also has a decorated international career playing in three World Baseball Classics for the Netherlands in 2013, 2017, and 2023. He has also played in the Caribbean Series for Curaçao in 2023 and 2024.
Pericos de Puebla Signed Former MLB Outfielder Mallex Smith in LMB
Mallex Smith, 31, signed with the Pericos de Puebla in LMB per a team announcement on their X account on Jan. 16.
Llega a @Pericos_Oficial 🦜 el líder de robos de la Liga Americana en 2019: Mallex Smith
📝: https://t.co/mjCmJd9WBw#BeisbolizaTuVida ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/VHZBKljZXd
— Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (@LigaMexBeis) January 16, 2025
Smith was the MLB stolen base leader with 46 stolen bases in 2019 with the Seattle Mariners. He was a 13th-round pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2011 MLB Draft and made his MLB debut with the Atlanta Braves in 2016. Smith had a five-year MLB career and spent two seasons each with the Rays and Mariners.
His MLB career numbers are 13 home runs, 114 RBI, 120 stolen bases, and a slash line of .255/.325/.361 in 1,480 at-bats.
Smith last played in the Liga ARCO Mexicano del Pacifico from 2023-2024 with the Tomateros de Culiacan and also played in LMB with the Saraperos de Saltillo and the Mariachis de Guadalajara in 2023.
Tigres de Quintana Roo Signed Infielder Cito Culver In LMB
The Tigres de Quintana Roo signed infielder Cito Culver on Jan. 8, per the LMB official X account.
Culver, 32, was drafted by the New York Yankees in the first round of the 2010 MLB Draft. He was born in Rochester, New York, and never made it to the Yankees’ MLB roster. In 2015, he made it as high as the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, and spent his last season with them in 2017. In 2018, he signed a MiLB deal with the Miami Marlins.
His minor league numbers were 43 home runs, 329 RBI, 75 stolen bases, and a slash line of .231/.304/.328 in 3,279 at-bats.
He played in the Canadian-American association in 2019 with the Rockland Boulders and the Sussex County Miners. The League was renamed the Frontier League in 2021 and he played in that league through the 2023 season. In 2024, he played with the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars in the Atlantic League.
El Águila Veracruz Also Signed Left-handed Pitcher Tyler Alexander
Alexander, 30, signed with the El Águila Veracruz on Jan. 4, via the LMB X account.
Experimentado lanzador zurdo llega a @elaguilabeisbol 🦅
Múltiples préstamos 😱 y más, los movimientos registrados el día de ayer
📝: https://t.co/T8lxm7RddY#BeisbolizaTuVida ⚾️ pic.twitter.com/FQZ7c6pvC2
— Liga Mexicana de Beisbol (@LigaMexBeis) January 4, 2025
Alexander is an American pitcher, who made his MLB debut with the Detroit Tigers in 2019. In 2020, he tied an American League record with nine consecutive strikeouts and struck out 10 batters out of the Tigers bullpen. Alexander was designated for assignment by the Tigers after the 2023 season and was claimed by the Tampa Bay Rays. Alexander last pitched in MLB with the Rays in 2024.
His MLB career numbers are 449 innings, 363 strikeouts, and an ERA of 4.55.
CTBC Brothers Re-signed Shortstop Kun-Yu Chiang to Record-Breaking Deal In CPBL
Chiang, 24, signed a 10-year deal worth $4.93 million per a CTBC Brothers announcement on January 23. The deal also has a $333,000 thousand performance incentive.
CTBC Brothers have signed their 24-year-old shortstop, 江坤宇 (Chiang Kun-Yu), to a 10-year deal worth 4.93 million USD, making it the largest contract in CPBL history.
It's a guaranteed 10-year deal with $333K performance incentive. Chiang's annual salary in 2029 will be $480K. pic.twitter.com/SXXd2j1Hhu
— CPBL STATS 🪬🔮 (@GOCPBL) January 24, 2025
Chiang made his CPBL debut with the CTBC Brothers in 2019 and has played his entire six-year career with them. Last season he had a career-high 50 RBI and hit two home runs with a .278 batting average. His best season was in 2022 with six home runs, a .318 batting average, and an OPS of .808. His defense is his strength with five consecutive Gold Gloves.
His career numbers are 18 home runs, 210 RBI, 47 stolen bases, and a slash line of .291/.356/.379 in 2,233 at-bats.
He also played for Chinese Taipei in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Rakuten Monkeys Signed MLB Right-Handed Pitcher Beau Sulser In CPBL
Sulser was signed on January 21 per a team announcement from the Rakuten Monkeys.
Sulser, 30, spent this past season in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He was drafted by the Pirates in the 10th round of the 2017 MLB Draft. Sulser pitched in MLB for the Pirates and Orioles in the 2022 season. His numbers were 22 innings, 19 strikeouts, and an ERA of 3.63. He also played in the Australian Baseball League for the Perth Heat in 2020 and the KBO in 2023 with the KT Wiz.
Wei Chaun Dragons Signed left-handed pitcher Zac Lowther in CPBL
Lowther, 28, was signed on Jan. 15 by the Wei Chaun Dragons per ETtoday.
Lowther was a second-round pick by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2017 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut with them in 2021 and pitched a few innings with them in 2022. This past season he played in the Atlantic League with the Gastonia Baseball Club, the Toros de Tijuana in LMB, and the Estrellas Orientales in Liga de Béisbol Profesional de la República Dominicana.
His combined numbers in all three leagues total 104 1/3 innings, 145 strikeouts, and an ERA of 2.85.
Orix Buffaloes Signed MLB Outfielder Edward Olivares In NPB
Olivares, 28, signed with the Orix Buffaloes in NPB on Jan. 10 per Gaijin Baseball.
Olivares is a Venezuelan outfielder, who played with the Pittsburgh Pirates last season. He signed with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2014 out of Venezuela as an international free agent. He made his MLB debut with the Padres in 2020 and played the majority of his five-year career with the Kansas City Royals. His best season was in 2023 with the Royals when he had career 12 home runs, 36 RBI, 11 stolen bases, and an OPS of .769 in 354 at-bats.
His MLB numbers were 29 home runs, 96 RBI, 16 stolen bases, and a slash line of .254/.306/.407 in 886 at-bats. He also played for Bravos de Margarita in Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Professional this winter.
Orix Buffaloes Also Signed Former MLB Pitcher Domingo Acevedo In NPB
Acevedo, 30, signed with the Orix Buffaloes on Jan. 6 per Gaijin Baseball.
He last pitched in MLB with the Oakland Athletics in 2023. He was signed by the Yankees as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2013. He never pitched in MLB with the Yankees and made it as high as their Triple-A affiliate, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
He elected for free agency before the 2021 season. He signed a MiLB deal with the A’s and made his MLB debut with them in 2021. He pitched parts of three seasons with them from 2021-2023 and his numbers were 88 innings, 74 strikeouts, and an ERA of 4.09. He also pitched for Leones del Escogido in LIDOM this past winter.
Photo Credit: Former Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer poses for photographers in his new DeNA BayStars uniform during an introductory press conference in Yokohama, near Tokyo, on March 24, 2023. Bauer, who was suspended by Major League Baseball in 2022 following allegations of sexual assault, has signed a one-year deal with DeNA. (Photo by Kyodo News via Getty Images)
