Taipei: The Pittsburgh Pirates have successfully signed promising Taiwanese pitching prospect Lin Chun-hsi to a minor league contract valued at approximately US$650,000, as announced by the agency Flight International Co. The deal highlights the Pirates' strategic recruitment efforts to bolster their pitching lineup. According to Focus Taiwan, the signing follows Lin's official listing on Major League Baseball's transactions page, which confirmed his minor league contract with the Pirates dated June 9. Max Kwan, the Pirates' vice president of international scouting, expressed confidence in Lin's potential, citing his smooth delivery and exceptional pitching attributes as key factors for his inclusion in the club's pitching development program. Roger Chiang, the Pirates' director of Asia-Pacific operations, echoed similar sentiments, highlighting Lin's strong arm and clean delivery. Chiang emphasized Lin's quality fastball, above-average spin rate, and command over off-speed pitches as elements contributing to his promising future in baseball. Lin has also made a mark on the international stage, representing Taiwan at the 2025 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup. During the tournament, he demonstrated his prowess by making four relief appearances and striking out eight batters over 5 1/3 innings, contributing significantly to Taiwan's bronze medal victory. Lin's career began as a two-way player before he dedicated his focus to pitching. The signing of Lin Chun-hsi marks another achievement for Taoyuan Municipal Daxi Senior High School, which has produced three players who have signed with Major League Baseball organizations. Third baseman Liao Yu-lin was the first from the school to join an MLB organization, signing with the Milwaukee Brewers last year. Recently, Lin's teammate, Lai Chien-fan, also secured a minor league deal with the New York Yankees worth up to US$1 million. Expressing his enthusiasm for the new opportunity, Lin stated that playing professional baseball overseas had been his lifelong dream. "It is a great honor and I am very happy to have the opportunity to develop my career in the United States," he said. "I will keep working hard to reach the major leagues."