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Hanwha Eagles sign Taiwanese pitcher Wang Yan-Cheng to fill Asian quota

Published: 13 Nov. 2025, 11:32

Taiwanese pitcher Wang Yan-Cheng signs his contract with the Hanwha Eagles, in this photo provided by the Eagles on Nov. 13. [HANWHA EAGLES]

The Hanwha Eagles announced Thursday they have signed a Taiwanese pitcher Wang Yan-Cheng to fill their Asian quota for the 2026 season, becoming the first KBO club to make use of the new rule.

The Eagles said Wang, 24, agreed to a one-year deal worth $100,000. Starting in 2026, KBO clubs, in addition to carrying three foreign-born players, will each be allowed to sign an extra player from an Asian nation or Australia. That player must have competed in Asia or in Australia in the season immediately before the given year, and KBO teams may not spend more than $200,000 on an Asian quota player, including salary, signing bonus and buyout fees paid to the player's former team.

Wang previously pitched for the minor league affiliate of the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball from 2020 to 2025 and compiled a 20-21 record with a 3.62 ERA in 85 outings.

The left-hander had his best season in 2025, going 10-5 with a 3.26 ERA over a career-high 116 innings across 22 games. In the NBP's Eastern League, Wang finished second in wins and third in ERA.

According to the Eagles, Wang can touch 154 kph with his fastball and pairs that with a sharp slider. He goes after hitters and has a simple, quick delivery that can keep runners in check.

Wang represented Chinese Taipei at the 2023 Asia Professional Baseball Championship, an under-24 tournament involving Chinese Taipei, Korea, Japan and Australia, and the lefty got the start against Korea.

Aside from the Asian player, KBO teams can each sign a maximum of two foreign pitchers and one foreign position player.

In 2025, the Eagles boasted the most dominant one-two punch at the top of their starting rotation, with American starter Cody Ponce and Ryan Weiss.

Ponce won the pitching Triple Crown with 17 wins, a 1.89 ERA and a league-record 252 strikeouts. Weiss won 16 games and had 207 strikeouts. The duo became the first pair of teammates to each post 200 or more strikeouts in KBO history.

Yonhap