Futures game selection?

Futures Game rosters are just around the corner so I thought we'd take a look at which Taiwanese player is most likely to make the team. The Futures Game is the first chance many of us get to see top prospects play on television. The current format is United States vs. World and since MLB is interested in showcasing its diversity it is almost guaranteed that at least one Taiwanese player will make the roster. The last four Taiwanese to make the roster were Yung-Chi Chen, Chin-Lung Hu, Che-Hsuan Lin, and Chia-Jen Lo. The current top 3 candidates are in order of likelihood:


Chun-Hsiu Chen: Chen is far and away the most likely player to be taken. His .318/.374/.544 line in the Midwest league is great and the fact that he's doing it as a catcher makes it even more impressive. He could be a top 100 prospect by the end of the year.

Hung-Wen Chen: Chen has posted a sparkling 2.27 ERA in AA and his control has been impeccable. However, he has trouble striking out many batters and he has flyball tendencies. It will be interesting to see how he fares once he's promoted to AAA.






Ching-Lung Lo: Lo has a fine 2.63 ERA this season based off his excellent control and high groundball rates. His strikeout rate is below average, but as long as he keeps his control and only lets hitters beat balls into the ground he will be ok. Unfortunately, many teams are biased towards hard throwing relievers so he may have a more difficult time reaching the majors than other relievers.

Whoever gets picked for the roster will instantly gain some fame. Good performances like those of Hu and Lin will embed their names in fans' minds who will soon clamor for their promotion. Also from a practical standpoint, it is a chance for players in the lower levels of the minors to face players in the higher levels and test themselves in a more challenging environment.