Major Leaguer resume Vol.102/ WBC Player’s resume Vol.88: Yu Chang(Boston Red Sox) : Major Candidate for Team Taiwan: “The Dark Horse of MLB!!”

■Today’s player
Today's player is the Boston Red Sox infielder Yu Chang. Chang is from Taiwan and will represent Team Taiwan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

■The KAISPO's baseball analyst comments
"Chang is a young infielder who can break out in the future. His hitting record still needs to improve in his four big league seasons, but he has shown high potential offensively and defensively. He can play all infield positions, and his smooth batting form skillfully allows him to hit long balls in the opposite direction. Also, he has a muscular body with high athleticism and instantaneous power. In 2022, he had a busy season, playing for four clubs. He can develop his hidden ability if he is used consistently. He became a free agent from the Red Sox in the offseason of 2022 but will play for Boston again in 2023 after Trevor Story got injured. I envision Boston's Dark Horse will succeed at Fenway Park."

■Story
Yu Chang signed with the Cleveland Indians in 2013. He devoted himself to 576 minor league games between 2014 and 2019. The young potential marked .255 with 22 home runs and 101 RBIs across 195 Triple-A contests.

The right-handed hitter made his big league debut with the Indians against the Baltimore Orioles to become the 16th Taiwanese native major leaguer on June 28, 2019. Chang went hitless in three at-bats in the game. Yu finished his first season with .178, one homer, and six RBIs over 28 outings.

In 2021, the Taiwan native became an opening game's starting member as a first baseman and batting seventh for the Indians against the Chicago White Sox on April 2. He recorded .228 with nine long balls and 39 RBIs in a career-most 89 contests.

In 2022, the infielder batted .208 with four home runs and 15 RBIs, playing for four clubs, such as the Indians, the Pittsburg Pirates, the Tampa Bay Rays, and the Boston Red Sox. On September 7, he became the first Taiwanese player with 100 hits in MLB.

■MLB Career Stats
At the end of the 2022 campaign, Yu Chang has recorded .213 with 14 home runs, 61 RBIs, and a .989 fielding percentage through 196 games in his four MLB seasons.
(MLB No.412 KAISPO No.1592)