Liu Chih-jung

In this Chinese name, the family name is Liu.

Liu Chih-jung (Chinese: 劉致榮; born April 7, 1999) is a Taiwanese professional baseball pitcher in the Boston Red Sox organization.

Liu Chih-jung
Boston Red Sox
Pitcher
Born: (1999-04-07) April 7, 1999 (age 25) Tainan, Taiwan
Bats: Switch Throws: Right
Medals Men's baseball Representing  Chinese Taipei Asian Baseball Championship 2019 Taichung Team Asian Games 2022 Hangzhou Team

Liu was a shortstop and pitcher in high school. Due to a heavy pitching load in high school, his coaches at Chinese Culture University utilized his skills solely as a position player during his first season of collegiate baseball. He returned to pitching in 2019.^[1]

Professional career

Liu signed with the Boston Red Sox as a pitcher on October 23, 2019, for US$750,000.^[2][3][4] Liu arrived in the United States for spring training with the Red Sox in February 2020.^[5][6][7] After the 2020 minor league season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Liu was invited to participate in the Red Sox' fall instructional league.^[8] Liu began the 2021 season in extended spring training, was first assigned to the Florida Complex League Red Sox where he made a single start,^[9] and was then promoted to the Salem Red Sox in early July.^[10] Overall during the 2021 season, he compiled a 4.23 earned run average (ERA) and 5–1 win–loss record in 13 starts while striking out 60 batters in 55+1⁄3 innings pitched.^[9]

Liu began the 2022 season in High-A with the Greenville Drive. In 25 games (21 starts) with the Drive, he had a 4–11 record with a 6.10 ERA.^[11] He also made one start in Double-A for the Portland Sea Dogs, resulting in a no decision after allowing two earned runs in 3+2⁄3 innings.^[11] Liu spent the 2023 season with Portland, pitching to a 7–8 record in 26 games (24 starts) with a 5.35 ERA.^[11]

International career

Liu participated in the 2017 U-18 Baseball World Cup for Chinese Taipei as a pitcher and position player. He pitched in the 2019 Asian Baseball Championship,^[12] in which he was named the most valuable player,^[4] and the Chinese Taipei national baseball team won the gold medal. He was to appear in the 2019 WBSC Premier12,^[13] but sat out the tournament due to injuries.^[14][15] Liu competed in baseball at the 2022 Asian Games (the 2022 Asian Games were played in 2023); appearing in two games, he pitched five innings while yielding two hits and striking out eight batters,^[16] and won a silver medal with Chinese Taipei.