The Yankees have gotten back in international waters. The team announced on Tuesday the signing of RHP Chien-Fan Lai out of Taiwan. Lai was rated as the top Taiwanese pitcher in 2026. He was signed using some of the remainder of the team’s international bonus spending money as a non-drafted free agent.
About the Signing
Lai’s repertoire features a fastball that has topped out at 95.7 mph but typically sits between 88.6 and 89.7 mph, a splitter that gets deception, and a slider. As time goes on, the velocity should pick up as he develops. Lai is 18 years old and is being drafted out of high school straight into the Yankees’ system.
“The signing of Chien-Fan represents our renewed commitment to players in Taiwan and in Asia as a whole,” said Mario Garza, new Director of International Scouting in a statement. “As I have gotten to know Chien-Fan, I have seen a focused and self-assured individual with great aptitude and a desire to improve. Through a scouting lens, he has an impressive multi-pitch mix, including a heavy fastball and quality off-speed pitches with solid command. This combination of traits allows us to believe that he will acclimate himself well in our development system, maximize his on-field potential, and eventually become a productive Major League pitcher.”
Here is some video on Chien-Fan Lai from the High School baseball league this year in Taiwan back in February. His fastball topped out at 96 mph this season. https://t.co/CqAK9XpEOy pic.twitter.com/mqAdVNmla1
— Wilfred Bergqvist (@WilfredBergqvi1) June 10, 2026
Yankees International History
This is the first time the Yankees have signed a pitcher out of Taiwan since Chien-ming Wang in May of 2000. Wang debuted for the Yankees in the 2005 season and pitched in parts of four years for the team, including recording an MLB-leading 19 wins in 2006, but injuries derailed what could have been a promising career. Wang did bounce around baseball until 2015, retiring after that.
The Yankees have been unable in recent seasons to bring in international talent, even while making big efforts to sign the likes of Shohei Ohtani in the 2017 offseason, Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the 2023 offseason, and Roki Sasaki in the 2024 offseason. The Yankees have been eager to get back into the Asian-Pacific market, and Lai is the first step in doing so.
Brief Analysis
The Yankees have been very good at developing pitching talent in recent seasons and clearly see something in Lai. His repertoire is something that has potential and the team can develop in their minor leagues. The best part for the Yankees is there is no timeline on his development. Lai is only 18 years old and was already a dominant high school star in Taiwan. The Yankees were not the only team scouting Lai, but they were the team that came out on top to retain his services. The Yankees now will get their strong development hands on Lai, and now the sky is the limit.
Main Image Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
