Arizona Diamondbacks sign Taiwanese infielder Chen Sheng-Ping

The Arizona Diamondbacks have made an intriguing addition during the international signing period, inking Taiwanese infielder Chen Sheng-Ping.

During every international signing period, there are players that fall through the cracks. Signed for relatively minor deals, these players work their way through the system, playing their way to a major league role. While even the top players on the international free agent market can be a bit of a risk, these players provide excellent value for their signing.

The Arizona Diamondbacks may have one such player, as they have reportedly signed Taiwanese infielder Chen Sheng-Ping to a $300,000 signing bonus, with an additional $50,000 for education and miscellaneous expenses.

To call the Diamondbacks latest addition an infielder is a bit of a misstatement. He has been a super utility player in high school, playing every infield position and suiting up at catcher. According to reports, catcher is his primary position, but he also performs well defensively at second and short.

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That defensive versatility, including his ability behind the plate, makes this an even more intriguing signing. Teams are looking to get as much versatility as possible out of their rosters, and his ability to play catcher just adds to his intrigue.

It is also notable that, with this signing, the Diamondbacks have four players from Tawain in their system. That includes Lyle Lin, who was drafted in the 14th round this past year. With that selection, Lin became the first player born in Tawain to be selected in the MLB Draft.

This pipeline of talent from Tawain could work out in the Diamondbacks favor moving forward. Now that a posting agreement has come to fruition between the CBPL and Major League Baseball, Arizona may hold an advantage by having an abundance of fellow countrymen in their system.

Chen Sheng-Ping is already an intriguing addition to the Arizona Diamondbacks. He may prove to be valuable going forward, and not just for what he can provide on the diamond.