TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Fubon Guardians (富邦悍將) signed left-handed pitcher Abe Yudai (阿部雄大) on Monday (Jan. 19) to join their spring training roster as a developmental player. The 25-year-old pitcher previously played for Japan's ENEOS Baseball Club, where he impressed last year with seven wins and 49 strikeouts in nine appearances. The team has several foreign players to bolster its roster on the field.
Abe's fastball has reached speeds of up to 150 kph, which caught the attention of scouts during the Nippon Professional Baseball draft. The Guardians plan to observe and train him long-term, hoping his presence will foster healthy competition among their farm system pitchers.
Furthermore, the Guardians have confirmed several new and returning foreign players for the upcoming season. These include the re-signing of Shawn Morimando and Japanese pitcher Shunsuke Suzuki, along with new contracts for Aaron Wilkerson, who has experience in MLB, NPB, and KBO, and Venezuelan pitcher Erick Leal.
Additionally, the Fubon Guardians have also announced the signing of 30-year-old Dominican outfielder Luis Liberato, who began his professional career in 2013 in the Seattle Mariners' minor league system, later moving to the San Diego Padres in 2022. That season, he hit 20 home runs at the Triple-A level and was called up to the Major League Baseball (MLB) in September, appearing in seven games. Liberato continued to play regularly at Triple-A for the Padres in both 2023 and 2024. He is expected to arrive in Taiwan in February to join the Guardians' spring training.