Former Phillies pitching prospect Hsin-Chieh Lin is headed to the CPBL.
The Philadelphia Phillies typically lose prospects as part of Major League Baseball’s Rule 5 draft held each winter. However, one of their young pitching prospects — who pitched mostly with the Low-A Clearwater Threshers last season — could soon be headed overseas for another reason.
According to Twitter user CPBL Stats, right-handed pitcher Hsin-Chieh Lin has informed that he will enter the 2022 Chinese Professional Baseball League draft. The 2022 CPBL season is set to begin in early April, around the same time Major League Baseball’s new season will get underway assuming the lockout ends in the coming weeks.
The 22-year-old first joined the Phillies farm system in June 2018, when he signed a minor-league contract as an international free agent. Lin never reached the Double-A level in the Phillies farm system. Last year, he combined to go 1-3 with a 7.50 ERA and 1.917 WHIP spanning 24 innings. Before the coronavirus pandemic in 2019, however, the right-hander went 2-0 with a 2.03 ERA and 1.150 WHIP across 40 innings.
Former Philadelphia Phillies farmhand 林鋅杰 (Lin Hsin-Chieh) confirmed he will be entering the 2022 #CPBL draft.
— CPBL STATS - ♥️ #95, Mina (@GOCPBL) January 29, 2022
The 22-year-old RHP spent 2018-21 in the Phillies system (A). He is currently playing for the New Taipei City baseball team in Taiwan's Industrial League (semi-pro). pic.twitter.com/2kZguoVinf
In June 2019, Lin notably was among four GCL Phillies West pitchers who threw a combined no-hitter against their GCL Phillies East counterparts. The game counted and was known as the Gulf Coast League’s first no-hitter in nearly two years. Lin struck out six batters spanning 3 2/3 innings in the 5-0 win.
The Phillies released Lin this past December, as he likely requested to pursue a professional career in his native country. Lin has since played for New Taipei City in Taiwan’s semi-pro Industrial League.
While the organization has lost a potentially promising international prospect, they have signed several others so far this offseason — including highly regarded Venezuela teen shortstop William Bergolla Jr. to a $2.2 million deal. Recently, the Phils also landed a former longtime Washington Nationals prospect who put up impressive numbers in 2021-22 Venezuelan Winter League action.