Xiao Cui

Xiao Cui (崔曉)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 154 lb.

• Born July 31, 1988 in Beijing China

Biographical Information

Xiao Cui signed with the Yomiuri Giants in 2006, a rarity for a Chinese player; he was released at year's end, having spent all season in ni-gun. He then joined his hometown Beijing Tigers. He led the 2008 China Baseball League in hits (33) and led in RBI in 2010. He played for the Chinese national team in the 2010 Asian Games. In their 6-2 loss in the Bronze Medal game, he drove in both their runs against Japan's Kota Suda (born exactly two years before Cui).

Cui led the 2012 Asian Championship with four stolen bases. He was China's leadoff hitter and center fielder in the 2013 World Baseball Classic, going 1 for 9 with two walks, two runs and once caught stealing. He tied Weiqiang Meng for the Chinese lead in runs. His lone hit came off Japan's Tetsuya Yamaguchi. He scored a crucial run in a game against Brazil that would send the loser to the 2017 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers and the winner directly to the 2017 World Baseball Classic. With a 2-0 deficit in the 8th and one on, he drew a walk from Murilo Gouvea and came around to score the tying run on Ray Chang's hit (that also plated the winning run).

Xiao hit .188/.381/.438 in the 2014 Asian Games, all three of his hits going for extra bases (two doubles, a triple). He had two runs and three RBI in five games, was 0 for 1 in steal attempts and had six putouts in center. He led China in extra-base hits and tied Chuang Na for the most walks (4). Only Yi Lu had more RBI. He tied the game against South Korea with a RBI double off Jae-hak Lee.

In the 2015 Asian Championship, he was again China's leadoff man and center fielder, hitting .278/.316/? with two runs and five RBI with 10 putouts in the field. He led China in RBI, one more than Na and was second to Na in hits and third in average behind Na and Shunyi Yang. He led the tourney with five steals, his second straight Asian Championship as the steal leader.

Sources

• Chinese Wiki Baseball
• World Baseball Classic
• 2014 Asian Games website