TAIPEI (TVBS News) — TSG Hawks (台鋼雄鷹) signed pitcher Huang Tzu-peng (黃子鵬) Friday (Nov. 21) to a 5-year, NT$66 million (around US$2.1 million) contract from the Rakuten Monkeys (樂天桃猿). This marks the team's first free agent acquisition, with Huang wearing No. 69 jersey for the Kaohsiung-based team.
Huang starred for 2024 WBSC Premier12 champion Team Chinese Taipei and served as reliever in his first three CPBL (中華職棒), Taiwan's professional baseball league, seasons. He appeared in 171 games with 56 holds before transitioning to starting role since 2021. In 2022, Huang dominated with 12-3 record and 2.33 ERA across 158.2 innings.
TSG Hawks actively pursued local talent, aligning with Huang's southern Taiwan baseball development. Huang expressed gratitude to the Hawks for bringing him home during the signing ceremony. Team manager Liu Dong-yang (劉東洋) highlighted the significance of signing their first free agent from Kaohsiung, Taiwan's southern port city. The Hawks aim to bolster pitching staff for their third CPBL season. ◼
