Wei-Chung Wang

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Wei-Chung Wang (王維中）

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Biographical Information[edit]

Wei-Chung Wang reached the major leagues in 2014, and he also pitched in the KBO and the CPBL. He is the brother of Yao-Lin Wang and cousin of Cheng-Hao Wang and Shih-Chung Wang.

Wang played for Taiwan in the 2004 Little League World Series. In the 2010 World Junior Championship, he struggled against Team USA, giving up 6 hits in 2 1/3 IP and taking the loss. He was excellent in the Gold Medal game, though, giving Taiwan its second World Junior Championship title. Replacing Hung-Yi Chen, he tossed five shutout innings (2 H) to wrap it up. He got the win. The Pittsburgh Pirates, behind scout Fu-Chun Chiang, signed him in 2011, but voided the contract after Tommy John surgery, resigning him for half the price; this rendered him eligible for the Rule V Draft on an annual basis, a move that would come back to hurt the Pirates two years later. He pitched for Taiwan in the 2011 World Port Tournament, going 1-1 with a 4.35 ERA. Both decisions came against the host Dutch national team.

The Taitung native missed 2012 while rehabbing from surgery. He made his debut as a pro with the GCL Pirates in 2013, going 1-3 with a 3.23 ERA. He walked only four in 47 1/3 IP while striking out 42. The Milwaukee Brewers took him with the 7th pick of the 2013 Rule V Draft, following Patrick Schuster, Adrian Nieto, Kevin Munson, Tommy Kahnle, Brian Moran and Seth Rosin. In addition to having good control and being left-handed, Wang had been timed as fast as 95 mph.

In his MLB debut, he relieved Rob Wooten in the 9th inning of a 4-0 loss to the Cardinals. He retired Jon Jay and Tony Cruz, gave up a single to Pete Kozma then got Daniel Descalso on a fly. Wang only pitched 14 games with a 10.90 ERA in his rookie year (the scarce use not atypical for a Rule V pick), and he started his 2015 season with the class-A+ Brevard County Manatees; he was 10-6 with a 3.54 ERA there. He tied Jake Faria for 3rd in the Florida State League in wins and was 10th in ERA (between Kevin Ziomek and Germán Márquez). Wang was promoted to AA Biloxi Shuckers in 2016, and he went 6-5 with a 3.52 ERA. He also pitched 5 games in the AAA level (1-3, 4.84).

Wang was 6-2 with a 2.05 ERA as a reliever for AAA Colorado Springs Sky Sox in 2017, and he pitched 8 games with the Brewers in the Major Leagues (but allowed five hits and two runs in 1 1/3 IP). After this season, Wang decided to go to Korea, and the NC Dinos signed him. He was the first Taiwanese player to play in the KBO. Wang was 7-10 with a 4.26 ERA for the Dinos in 2018, and he then signed a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics.

In the 2019 season, Wang had a 4.78 ERA in 19 games for the AAA Las Vegas Aviators, and he was promoted in late May. He collected his first win in the Major Leagues on July 4 against the Minnesota Twins, and he pitched 2 1/3 shutout innings that game. He had a 3.33 ERA in 20 appearances for the Athletics, but they still released him on August 29. The Pittsburgh Pirates then signed him, and he was 2-0 with a 6.75 ERA for them. He didn't get a Major League contract after this season, so he announced that he would join the CPBL.

The Wei Chuan Dragons selected Wang with the first overall pick of the 2020 CPBL Draft, and he was solid in his first year. Wang had a 3-8 record with a 2.78 ERA, and he struck out 93 in 100 innings. Had he qualified, he would ranked 3rd in ERA, 1.01 behind Jose De Paula. He was also 7th in strikeouts (95 behind De Paula). Wang was 4-6 with a 3.20 ERA in 2022, but he only pitched 81 2/3 innings due to injuries.

Wang then made it onto Taiwan's roster for the 2023 World Baseball Classic. He debuted against Italy, relieving Shao-Ching Chiang in the 3rd inning. Wang retired Sal Frelick, struck out David Fletcher then forced Vinnie Pasquantino to ground out to end the inning, but he struggled in the 4th inning. Wang walked Dominic Fletcher then Brett Sullivan hit a single. He struck out Vito Friscia, and Nicky Lopez drove in a run with a single. Ben DeLuzio then flewout, but Miles Mastrobuoni and Frelick's hits drove in 3 more runs. Wang fanned Fletcher to end his work, and Kuan-Yu Chen succeeded him. He then replaced Kuan-Wei Chen in the 4th inning versus Cuba, and Wang gave up a leadoff double to Yadir Drake. He then struck out Yadil Mujica, but Roel Santos's single made him allow his 5th run of the event. Wang struck out Yoan Moncada, retired Luis Robert and Chiang succeeded him.

In the 2023 season, since the Dragons had some talented starters like Drew Gagnon and Jake Brigham, they decided to move Wang to the bullpen. He had a 3.62 ERA in 45 relief outings, and he also collected 18 holds. Wang was 2nd in holds, 8 behind Chun-Wei Wu. In the 2023 Taiwan Series, Wang struggled and gave up 4 runs in 2/3 of a inning in Game 3, so he got the loss. He surrendered another 3 runs in 1 1/3 innings in Game 5, but the Dragons still beat the Rakuten Monkeys in 7 games.

Wang's repertoire includes a fastball (peak 96.3 mph), changeup, slider, curveball and cutter.

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