2004 Far East Heroes

Masanori Murakami became the first Asian player to appear in the MLB back in 1964 with the San Francisco Giants, three decades later, Hideo Nomo made a big impact with the Los Angeles Dodgers to start the trends of Asian players playing in the MLB. 30+ players from Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan has appeared in the MLB as of 2004. There are also many more Far East talents in the minor league getting ready to taste their first cup of coffee.

Minor Leaguers

Japanese
Yusuke Arakawa
Colorado Rockies, RHP
Age: 26, B-T: R-R, Ht: 6-0, Wt: 170
Frank's Scouting Report on Arakawa: Arakawa was one of the premier college pitchers in Japan and the Rockies signed him after a workout in Tucson. His throws a low 90s fastball along with a good curveball and a splitter.

Yoshitaka Mizuo
Anaheim Angels, LHP
Age: 36, B-T: L-L, Ht: 5-10, Wt: 160
Frank's Scouting Report on Mizuo: Mizuo was limited to three appearances with Seibu Lions last year because of a muscle pull in his neck but has fully recovered from the injury. A teammate of Ichiro and Kaz Matsui back in Japan, he has several good pitches which includes fastball, cutter, slider, sinker, changeup and "shuto pitch," which is a version of a forkball and screwball. Mizuo can touch 91 MPH with his fastball but works at around high 80s most of the time.

Mitsuru Sakamoto
Colorado Rockies, OF
Age: 23, B-T: L-R, Ht: 6-2, Wt: 205
Frank's Scouting Report on Sakamoto: Sakamoto was selected in the 24th round of the MLB Draft back in 2002 but did not play that season due to injury. Not a stranger in the US as he have played college baseball at Arizona Western Junior College.

Tetsuya Yamaguchi
Arizona Diamondbacks, LHP
Age: 20, B-T: L-L, Ht: 6-0, Wt: 172
Frank's Scouting Report on Yamaguchi: Yamaguchi uses a three-quarters delivery, throws a slow curveball and a slider to complement a fastball clocked in the low 90s. He has decent mechanics and solid movement on his pitches.

Tetsu Yofu
Chicago White Sox, RHP
Age: 30, B-T: R-R, Ht: 6-0, Wt: 195
Frank's Scounting Report on Yofu: Yofu has the durability of throwing 6 different pitches includes a fastball in the lower 90s, a curve, slider, two-seam fastball, forkball and a great split-finger. He's a very good athlete and a great fielding pitcher.

Kosuke Yonezawa
Arizona Diamondbacks, RHP
Age: 19, B-T: R-R, Ht: 6-2, Wt: 210
Frank's Scouting Report on Yonezawa: Yonezawa was signed after an impressive tryout in Arizona. Very unknown at this point of time and wasn't a big prospect back in Japan. He is the second Japanese player signed by Arizona after Tetsuya Yamaguchi.

South Korean
Byeong An
Chicago White Sox, LHP
Age: 24, B-T: L-L, Ht: 6-2, Wt: 230
Frank's Scouting Report on An: An is a lefty with a broad assortment who occasionally flashes something more than typical lefty velocity. He shows promise with fastball that occasionally peaked at 92 MPH and his curveball also shows potential.

Shin-Soo Choo
Seattle Mariners, RF
Age: 21, B-T: L-L, Ht: 5-11, Wt: 205
Frank's Scouting Report on Choo: Choo is a speed demon who shows mature plate discipline and solid line drive power. He uses his quick speed to chase down balls in gaps and pile up triples while continuing to develop power. Baseball America ranked Choo as the 5th best prospect within the Mariners' organization in 2004.

Yoon-Min Kweon
Chicago Cubs, C
Age: 25, B-T: R-R, Ht: 6-2, Wt: 210
Frank's Scouting Report on Kweon: Kweon missed the entire 2003 season due to injury. He is a former captain of South Korea's National Team and played in the Intercontinental Cup in Sydney, Austraila back in 1999. A very strong defensive catcher with good physical strength while shows power occasionally.

Seung Lee
Philadelphia Phillies, RHP
Age: 25, B-T: R-R, Ht: 6-4, Wt: 225
Frank's Scouting Report on Lee: Lee has a powerful delivery that reaches 95 MPH with his fastball, and features a nice slider. His changeup is still a work in progress, but his two power pitches project him at the very least as an effective reliever.

Jae Kuk Ryu
Chicago Cubs, RHP
Age: 21, B-T: R-R, Ht: 6-3, Wt: 220
Frank's Scouting Report on Ryu: Ryu has four pitches, including a blazing fastball, that he gets past batters regularly but was in the headline last season because of killing an osprey down in Florida. He has good command with his fastball and curveball, but needs to work on his change-up. Baseball America ranked Ryu as the 10th best prospect within the Cubs' organization in 2004.

Seung Song
Montreal Expos, RHP
Age: 24, B-T: R-R, Ht: 6-1, Wt: 195
Frank's Scouting Report on Song: Song throws hard sinker and lights up radar gun at 93 MPH complements it with fine curveball and shows very good control. He works off the plate well and is a very superb athlete. Song pitched a perfect game during an AAA game last season and is the only player who has been to three Futures game during the All-Star break. Baseball America ranked Song as the 8th best prospect within the Expos' organization in 2004.

Taiwanese
Yung-Chi Chen
Seattle Mariners, 2B
Age: 20, B-T: R-R, Ht: 5-11, Wt: 170
Frank's Scouting Report on Chen: Chen is the youngest player on Taiwan's National Team that qualified the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. Lacks power but shows good hustle, determination and is a great hitter who hits for high average by hitting the ball to gaps all over the field.

Chi-Hung Cheng
Toronto Blue Jays, LHP
Age: 19, B-T: L-L, Ht: 6-1, Wt: 200
Frank's Scouting Report on Cheng: Cheng is a former Little League World Series champion who took the mound in the 1996 championship game. He has unique stuff. His fastball is only 88 MPH, but his nastiest stuff is slider which he has a good feel to it and he also throws a very good change-up.

Chin-Lung Hu
Los Angeles Dodgers, SS
Age: 20, B-T: R-R, Ht: 5-9, Wt: 155
Frank's Scouting Report on Hu: Hu who is not a stranger to Taiwan's National Team is a slick defender who can play both shortstop and second base. He hits for high average and shows great power for a player of his size.

Hong-Chih Kuo
Los Angeles Dodgers, LHP
Age: 22, B-T: L-L, Ht: 6-0, Wt: 235
Frank's Scouting Report on Kuo: Kuo is a hard throwing southpaw who has the best fastball among all the Asian pitchers. He is working on continuing to develop his curveball and changeup as his second and third options, two Tommy John's surgeries in the past three seasons has slow his way to the Major League.

Ching-Lung Lo
Colorado Rockies, RHP
Age: 18, B-T: R-R, Ht: 6-6, Wt: 190
Frank's Scouting Report on Lo: Lo was signed as a 16 years old as he enters his third season of pro career. His best pitches are his fastball and slider. His fastballs only reaches low 90s but it should increase thanks to his 6'6" frame, and don't forget he is only 18 years old. Baseball America ranked Lo as the 10th best prospect within the Rockies' organization in 2004.

Chien-Ming Wang
New York Yankees, RHP
Age: 24, B-T: R-R, Ht: 6-3, Wt: 225
Frank's Scouting Report on Wang: Wang may have the best stuff out of Yankees' pitching prospects. He owns a 95 MPH fastball, nasty splitter a hard, late slider and he gets them all over the plate consistently thanks to excellent control.

Chao-Kuan Wu
Seattle Mariners, C
Age: 20, B-T: L-R, Ht: 6-3, Wt: 192
Frank's Scouting Report on Wu: Wu is a former first basemen who has transformed into a catcher. He throws right but bats left and he hits for good average and flashes power.

P.S. I'm not infallible. So if you find any missing Asian minor leaguers, please feel free to contact me and let me know. Thanks!

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all pictures courtesy of AP

2003
Taiwanese Heroes

2003
Korean Heroes

Hwanyong Hamnida ! Irashaimasu ! Huan Ying !

Ichiro
.372 Avg, 101 Runs, 262 Hits, 36 SBs

* Honorable Mentions *
Hideki Matsui - .298 Avg, 108 RBIs, 31 HRs
Akinori Otsuka - 77.1 IP, 87 SOs, ERA of 1.75
Shingo Takatsu - 62.1 IP, 19 Saves, ERA of 2.31