Chi-Kam Chiu

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Chi-Kam Chiu (趙嗣淦) (Kenneth)

  • Bats Right, Throws Right
  • Height 6' 2", Weight 176 lb.

Biographical Information[edit]

Chi-Kam Chiu was only 16 years old when he was picked for the Hong Kong national team for the 2007 Asian Championship. He was a late scratch for Hong Kong for the 2010 Intercontinental Cup and appeared in the 2010 Asian Games.

Going on to college in the US, he pitched 3 2/3 shutout innings in 2012. He signed with Olympia Blansko in the Czech Republic and was 1-7 with a 5.67 ERA in 2017; he was the first player from Hong Kong to play in the Extraliga. He tied for 4th in the league in losses.

In the 2017 Asian Championship, he pitched 14 1/3 of Hong Kong's 29 innings, nearly half the workload (Wing-Tung Mok was next at 5 2/3). He got Hong Kong's lone win, relieving Mok with two outs and a 1-1 tie against Pakistan. He worked the final 5 1/3 and allowed three hits and two hit batsmen while fanning two and pitching shutout ball as Hong Kong won, 4-1. He did well in a start versus Sri Lanka (8 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 1 UER) but Hong Kong failed to score off Madumal Tharindu and three relievers; Mok took over in the 9th. He did not lead Hong Kong in strikeouts as his 5 were one behind Chung-Hei Leung.

He was 1-5 with a save and a 6.04 ERA for the Berlin Flamingos in Germany's Bundesliga in 2018. He was second in the Bundesliga-1 North in fielding at P (14 error-free chances, 2 behind Nils Hartkopf), tied former minor leaguer Trevor Caughey for 7th in losses and led with 12 wild pitches and 14 hit batsmen (4 ahead of Jonathan Mottay).

He led Hong Kong with a 2.92 ERA at the 2018 Asian Games but didn't get a decision; he did start both their wins, though. Against Indonesia, he worked 4 2/3 IP and allowed one hit, two walks and two unearned runs while fanning five; Ka-Ho Sam Leung took over with a 2-2 tie and got the win. He worked 7 2/3 versus Thailand and allowed 8 hits, 2 walks and 4 runs while striking out 7, leaving with a 4-4 tie; Ka-Ho Sam Leung again relieved and got the victory. The statistics (missing a couple games) for the tournament's main rounds show him leading in IP (2/3 ahead of Muhammad Usman), wild pitches (4) and hit batsmen (6), 10th in opponent (.205) and second in strikeouts, one behind Usman.

A submarine hurler, his fastball peaks in the 70s.

Sources: Chinese Wiki Baseball, UW Stevens Point, The Pointer, Czech Baseball Federation, Chinese Taipei Baseball Association, 2018 Asian Games, 2018 Bundesliga