Wang Po-Jung on path to become trailblazer for CPBL

Noted Chinese Professional Baseball League power hitter Wang Po-Jung is set to become the first player to be posted in league history.

In the hierarchy of foreign baseball leagues, Japan and Cuba are at the top of the list. Their players compete at a level that is nearly equal to the majors, allowing their veteran stars to come stateside with few issues. The Korean Baseball Organization is a notch below, a hitter’s paradise that has seen several players come stateside and find success. Then, there is the Chinese Professional Baseball League, a league in Taiwan that is below the KBO, and has yet to produce a player that has come to the majors via the posting system.

That may change in the coming weeks. Wang Po-Jung, an outfielder for the Lamigo Monkeys, is set to be the first player to be posted in league history. He is set to be posted after the Taiwan Series, meaning that he could become available as soon as November 4th.

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During his time in the CPBL, Wang has posted numbers that would be at home in a video game. This season, he has posted a .351/.446/.547 batting line, hitting 17 homers and 32 doubles. Those numbers actually mark a departure from his utterly ridiculous 2017 campaign, when he won the Quadruple Crown. That year, Wang produced a .407/.491/.700, leading the league in each of those categories, as well as 31 homers, 101 RBI, and 171 hits over his 517 plate appearances. Here is a video of every one of those 171 hits.

Even with the success he has had in the CPBL, Wang will be making a gigantic leap if he comes to the majors. There are questions about his ability to handle pitches on the inside part of his plate due to holes in his swing. And, while he can hit the fastball, how will he handle major league breaking pitches?

It is possible that Wang spends some time in the upper levels of the minors before making his major league debut. It is also possible that he ends up in Japan or Korea for a year or two before coming to the majors, getting a feel for a stronger level of competition. Wang may not be a star immediately, even if he makes the smaller jump to Japan or Korea.

However, it is easy to dream. His tremendous power should play at the major league level, giving whatever team signs him a legitimate power hitter for their lineup. Wang can also be a trailblazer, achieving his dream of playing in the majors. But will he be a player like Joey Gallo, or a more complete hitter like he has been in the CPBL?

Wang Po-Jung is set to be posted. Now we just have to wait to see where the intriguing