With leagues wrapping up their postseasons and most leagues crowing champions, we look back at the players who performed and excelled above expectations. Here is who is featured on World Baseball Network’s team of the month for October:
C: Kao Yu-Chieh (CTBC Brothers)
For this month, Kao Yu-Chieh takes home the catcher position for our team of the month for October. The 27-year-old was able to help his CTBC Brothers win the Taiwan Series in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). During the Taiwan Series, Kao went 5-16 in 18 plate appearances, hitting for a .313 average, providing a clutch RBI. He played in a career-high 109 games this season, hitting three home runs and 37 RBIs while hitting for a .252 average.
1B: Lewin Diaz (Samsung Lions)
After signing in the KBO in August, Lewin Diaz hasn’t looked back since. During the playoff series facing the LG Twins, Diaz hit three home runs against them, driving in six RBI in the span of two games. Diaz impressed in just 29 games with the Samsung Lions, crushing seven home runs and driving in 19 RBIs while hitting .282. He began his 2024 playing in Liga Mexicana de Beisbol.
2B: Kim Sun-bin (Kia Tigers)
Kim Sun-bin won the Korean Series MVP and helped his team take home a title in the Korea Baseball Organization. Kim, 34, made his KBO debut in 2008 and is in his 16th season with the Kia Tigers. For the season, Kim hit for a .329 average in 116 games played, hitting nine home runs, 57 RBIs, while hitting an impressive .588 in the Korean Series.
3B: Jazz Chisholm Jr. (New York Yankees)
Taking the hot corner for our team of the month this October is the Bahama’s very own Jazz Chisholm Jr. Jazz was traded to the Yankees during the MLB Trade Deadline from the Miami Marlins. He was tasked with learning how to play third base after serving as the Marlins center-fielder. Chisholm was valuable when needed during the postseason this year, hitting two home runs and stealing an impressive six bases. Since joining the Bronx Bombers, he hit .273, blasting 11 home runs and 23 RBIs, making his season totals come out to 24 home runs, 73 RBIs, and 40 stolen bases.
SS: Tommy Edman (Los Angeles Dodgers)
Another key addition during the MLB Trade Deadline was the Dodgers acquiring infielder/outfielder Tommy Edman. Edman primarily served as the Dodgers shortstop during this year’s postseason after the team benched Miguel Rojas. In 119 at-bats, Edman hit
.277, hitting two home runs, driving in 16 RBIs, and stealing five bases. Edman missed most of the season due to injury but tallied 37 games during the regular season, hitting six home runs, 20 RBI, and six stolen bases for the Dodgers.
OF: Chen Chieh-Hsien (Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions)
Taking one of our outfield spots for this month is Chen Chieh-Hsien. The 30-year-old outfielder hit .286 during the Taiwan Series, going 6-21, providing one RBI. For the season, he played in 112 games, hitting two home runs and 55 RBIs while hitting for an astounding .334 average, finishing second behind Lin Li. Chen will be representing Chinese Taipei at the Premier12 tournament in November.
OF: Cheng-Hua Yueh (CTBC Brothers)
The second outfield spot belongs to Cheng-Hua Yueh. Yueh was valuable during the Taiwan Series, hitting for a .333 average and driving in six RBIs in 23 plate appearances to help the Brothers win the Taiwan Series. He played in 118 games with the Brothers in 2024, hitting five home runs, 31 RBI, hitting for a .242 average.
OF: Kike Hernandez (Los Angeles Dodgers)
Taking the last outfield spot for our team of the month this October is Puerto Rican Kike Hernandez. The 33-year-old was dominant this postseason, crushing two home runs and driving in six RBI in 51 at-bats. He also played a very sound defense during the postseason, handling duties at third base and center field. During the regular season, Hernandez hit 12 home runs and drove in 42 RBIs while hitting for a .229 average in 362 at-bats.
DH: Chiang Kun Yu (CTBC Brothers)
Another CTBC Brothers player joins our team of the month for October, as shortstop Chiang Kun Yu takes the honors in our DH spot. The 24-year-old hit .316 during the Taiwan Series, providing three RBI to help the Brothers beat the U-Lions to win the Taiwan Series. In his sixth season playing with the Brothers, Chiang hit .278, with two home runs and 50 RBIs.
SP: Kohei Arihara (Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks)
Kohei Arihara is our starting pitcher of the month for October. The ace for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks has pitched brilliantly so far in the postseason. In his first start against the Nippon Ham Fighters, Arihara pitched seven innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs, striking out eight batters en route to a Hawks 5-2 victory to advance to the Japan Series.
He also started the Hawks’ first game of the Japan Series against the Yokohama DeNa Baystars, tossing seven scoreless innings, allowing only four hits and two walks, and punching out four batters, as the Hawks won Game 1 behind Arihara, 5-3.
Arihara, 32, pitched with the Texas Rangers during the 2021-22 seasons. He was dominant all of 2024 with the Hawks, going 14-7, posting a 2.36 ERA in 26 starts, and collecting 137 strikeouts in 182.2 innings of work. He was a runner-up for the Sawamura Award along with Shosei Togo, but a winner could not be decided.
CP: Darwinzon Hernandez (Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks)
And finally, taking home the honors for our relief pitcher of the month is southpaw Darwinzon Hernandez. The 27-year-old Venezuelan is in his second season pitching as a member of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. Hernandez made his MLB debut with the Boston Red Sox in 2019, where he last pitched in the MLB with the Red Sox in 2022. Hernandez was more effective in his sophomore season in Japan, posting a 3-3 record with a 2.25 ERA in 48 appearances, collecting 72 strikeouts in just 48 innings.
With the seasons wrapped up, we look forward to the Premier12 and all of the winter leagues in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic. We will see which players will swing a hot bat and which pitchers will light up the diamond. As postseasons might be wrapping up around the globe, baseball never sleeps!
____
Related World Baseball Network Articles
WBN International Team of the Month: September
WBN International Team of the Month: August
WBN International Team of the Month: July
