Taipei:American right-hander John Gant of the Wei Chuan Dragons has been honored with the Chinese Professional Baseball League's (CPBL) MVP of the Year award, celebrating a season that culminated in a championship victory.

According to Focus Taiwan, Gant led Taiwan's professional baseball league with a 1.49 ERA and 136 strikeouts. He was also selected as the pitcher on the Best Nine team, amassing four trophies at the CPBL's annual awards ceremony held at Taipei Marriott Hotel. This achievement marks the sixth time in seven seasons that a pitcher has claimed the MVP award, and the fifth time it has been awarded to a foreign national.

During his acceptance speech, Gant expressed gratitude to God, the organization, his teammates, and coaches for their support throughout the season, which he credited for helping him earn the award. He also paid tribute to his wife, acknowledging her as his "biggest fan" and the "real MVP" for her unwavering support through his career challenges, including elbow injuries and a year without playing in 2024.

Other major awards were also announced, with Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions right-hander Chung Yun-hua being named rookie of the year, and Rakuten Monkeys right-hander Tseng Chia-hui winning the most improved player award. Chung, who stepped in for an injured teammate, ended as the league's saves leader with 33 saves, setting records for a CPBL rookie and a Taiwanese Lions pitcher. Tseng, a former fourth-round draft pick, emerged as a regular starter with a 7-2 record and a 2.69 ERA over 120.2 innings this season.