HIGHEST-RATED TAIWANESE PITCHER IN 2026 INTERNATIONAL CLASS
The New York Yankees today announced that they have signed right-handed pitcher Chien-Fan Lai—the highest-rated Taiwanese pitcher in the 2026 class—as a non-drafted free agent.
Lai, a 6-foot, 180-pound 18-year-old is from Taitung, Taiwan, and a recent graduate of Daxi Senior High School in Taoyuan, Taiwan. He becomes the third player in Yankees franchise history to be signed as a non-drafted free agent out of Taiwan, joining RHP Chien-Ming Wang (2000) and INF Fu-Lin Kuo (2009). Lai will soon report to the Yankees DSL Academy in the Dominican Republic to begin his professional career.
“The signing of Chien-Fan represents our renewed commitment to players in Taiwan, and in Asia as a whole,” said Mario Garza, Director of International Scouting. “As I have gotten to know Chien-Fan, I have seen a focused and self-assured individual with great aptitude and a desire to improve. Through a scouting lens, he has an impressive multi-pitch mix, including a heavy fastball and quality off-speed pitches with solid command. This combination of traits allows us to believe that he will acclimate himself well in our development system, maximize his on-field potential and eventually become a productive Major League pitcher.”
Lai represented Taiwan at the 2025 U-18 Baseball World Cup, helping his club win a bronze medal in the tournament. He appeared in three games, striking out 14 batters over 7.0 innings of relief.
“We are thrilled to welcome Chien-Fan to the New York Yankees family as we continue to expand our global footprint,” said Matt Slater, Global Player Acquisitions Supervisor. “The Yankees are continually scouting all areas of the world for talented players who can impact and bring value to our organization. Chien-Fan has intriguing upside with the ability to develop into a successful Major League pitcher.”
A formal press conference will be held on Friday, June 26, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. local time in Taipei, Taiwan, at the Courtyard by Marriott Taipei.
