Tzu-Wei Lin
(2010 IBAF World Junior Championship MVP & Junior Athlete of the Year)
Ok, the latest news on IF Tzu-Wei Lin is that multiple MLB teams are after the kid, driving up his value. The latest rumor is that the current highest offer is around $2 million! If this holds true, this would put him in the same ball park as Chin-Hui Tsao ($2.2 million '99) and Chien-Ming Wang ($1.9 million '00).
The Yankees, who thought they had Lin locked up at 16 years of age, have taken a rather low key approach during this process. However, as Lin approaches graduation, the Yankees are getting aggressive after Lin. The Yankees' scout in Taiwan, Ken Su informed the Taiwanese media that the Yankees are still very interested in Lin. "For sure we will make an offer that is higher than the current offers to get him to join the Yankees." (UDN) "Our organization has given instructions to get SS Lin at any cost." (Apple Daily News).
Lin's HS Head Coach Lee has said "It's true that there are many teams after Lin, but most likely he'll go to the Yankees."
MLB.com has ranked Lin in their top 20 (#18) international prospects for 2012. Based on the most current rumors of his $2 million offer and the fact that he is more polished and fundamentally sound than most of the kids on that list, Lin easily should be in the top 5 list. Lin also does have some power; he's hit home runs in international tourneys utilizing a wood bat. He projects to have gap power further on down the road.
Speaking of Linsanity, everyone catch Che-Hsuan Lin's beauty of a catch as the Red Sox RF the other night? The kid just needs some more playing time to show what he can do in the field.
*Congrats to CMW on his first W of the season.
*WY Chen looks to get back on track tomorrow night against the Royals.
*In other amateur news:
RHP Chih-Wei Hu-- The A's, Cubs, & Twins are all after him.
RHP Ping-Hsueh Chen--The Yankees met with him and are rumored to have offered $30 K.
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