XXX BFA Asian Championship starts Sunday, qualifies three teams … – World Baseball Softball Confederation

Following an emotional official opening ceremony on Saturday, the Taipei Dome will host the XXX BFA Asian Championship, which is set to begin on Sunday, 3 December, at 18:00 local time. The Chinese Taipei Baseball Association (CTBA) will host the tournament for the 10th time.

The hosts and defending champions world No. 5 Chinese Taipei will face No. 4 Korea. The game is already sold out.

Chinese Taipei picked one of the rising stars of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) Jo-Hsi Hsu of the Weichuan Dragons. The team relies on a solid pitching staff and the line-up can guarantee power and speed. According to local press, the hosts lack international experience at catcher.

Heon-Min Shin (SSG Landers) is expected to start for Korea on the opening night. Shin was the 2nd overall pick in 2022 KBO draft and made 11 appearances, all from the bullpen, in the 2023 season with 6.00 ERA. Chinese Taipei manager Kuo-Lee said, We anticipated that he is going to start against us.

Despite averaging 21.2 years, the Korean roster showcases impressive talent. Byeong-Hyeon Jo collected 17 KBO saves for the SSG Landers. Corner infielder Seung-Yeup Na finished the KBO season with a .312 batting average. First baseman Beom-Seok Kim (LG Twins) and outfielder Jun-Young Jeong (KT Wizards) played for the U-18 National Team.

Chinese Taipei and Korea will compete in Group A with world No. 37 Hong Kong and No. 55 Palestine. After the opening game, Group A will move to the Taichung Intercontinental Stadium.

World No. 1 Japan is the favourite in Group B. The roster's core played at the Asia Professional Baseball Championship and earned bronze at the Asian Games. Shoichirou Kayo, who won the Asia Games bronze medal game, is the team's ace.

The pitching staff also features players who helped Japan win the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2022, such as hard-throwing pitcher Raiku Katayama, All-World Team designated hitter Ren Onishi and slugger Yuto Hirano. Power-hitting catcher Tatsuya Shirono is also a player to watch.

Japan, who has won the BFA Asia Championship 18 times, plus one (1983) shared with Chinese Taipei and Korea, will face world No. 32 and the winner of the inaugural edition in 1954, the Philippines, No. 43 Thailand, and No. 49 Pakistan. Group B action will begin on Monday, 4 December. The games are scheduled at the Taipei Dome.

The top two finishers of each group will compete in the Super Round on 8 and 9 December. At the end of the Super Round, the first and second-place teams will play for the title and earn a spot in the V WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup. The bronze-medal game between the third and fourth-place finishers will award the third U-23 Baseball World Cup spot. The Taipei Dome will host the Super Round and the finals. The finals are scheduled for Sunday, 10 December.

The BFA Asia Championship will take the number of teams qualified for the V WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup to 11.

Africa (1): Asia (3): The top three finishers of the BFA Asian Baseball Championship Americas (4): No. 6 Venezuela, No. 12 Puerto Rico, No. 13 Colombia, No. 20 Nicaragua Europe (2):No. 7 Netherlands and No. 18 Great Britain Oceania (1): No. 11Australia Wild Card (1): China (Host Nation)

World No. 1Japanis the defending U-23 World Champion.

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XXX BFA Asian Championship starts Sunday, qualifies three teams ... - World Baseball Softball Confederation