Spring has Sprung and Exhibition is Done (Video Recap)

Spring has arrived and with it the 29th season of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). The 2018 season is set to begin this Saturday with the Chinatrust Brothers facing off against the reigning champions, the Lamigo Monkeys, in Taoyuan at 5:05.

Here is what you may have missed from Spring Training, which wrapped up on Monday night:

The reigning MVP hits this ball into orbit as No. 9 Wang Po-Jung looks to put a hurting on opposing CPBL pitchers before possibly exiting Taiwan for a bigger stage later this year. He is video-game-baseball personified.

Brothers’ No. 7 Chang Chih-Hao kicks off his exhibition season in Taiwan with an absolute monster bomb. Chang could reach the 30-HR mark if he stays healthy in 2018.

Newly acquired Fubon Guardian RHP No. 13 Chen Hung-Wen gives up back-to-back home runs in the first inning. The first one on an 0-2 count and the second on a 1-2 count.

Lions No. 5 Kuo Fu-Lin greets Brothers 2017 4th-round rookie pitcher No. 50 Tsai Chi-Che with a stadium-exiting grand slam after the rookie walked the bases loaded with two outs.

Here's a play by Lamigo’s No. 7 Kuo Yung-Wei that is easy on the eyes. Not too often you see a third baseman spin and fire.

Chinatrust Brothers 2016 1st-round pick (3rd overall) RHP No. 62 Chen Hu showed his potential on Sunday afternoon. The 19-year-old, 100kg pitcher had a perfect inning, striking out the side in 16 pitches. Chen mowed through the nine-through-two batters of the Lamigo line up, touching 146 kph (91 mph). The pitcher has yet to make his first-team debut and went 5-3 with a 5.03 ERA over 17 starts with the Brothers’ farm team last year. He could start the year in the Brothers bullpen this year.

Here is Brothers rookie closer No. 60 Wang Hong-Cheng (王鴻程). He is the definition of wildly effective. He can touch 153kph (95mph) and with his release point, he is a tough guy to face. Quite a steal in last year's draft in the 6th round. Watch him go through the middle of the Lions' order in 16 pitches: 5 swing and misses, 1 foul ball and 3 K.

After posting career bests in ERA (2.18) and WHIP (1.01) in 2017, Fubon’s Mike Loree showed that he still owns Taiwanese bats. The now six-year CPBL veteran made two starts this spring, totalling 10 innings without allowing a single run. He gave up just five hits (all singles), zero walks while striking out 11 batters.