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The Pittsburgh Pirates' system is filled with notable pitching talent. Given their remarkable surplus, one name that may get swept under the rug is Po-Yu Chen. The Pirates signed the right-hander out of Taiwan during the 2020-2021 offseason, and he could be on the verge of making his Major League debut. He spent the 2024 season at Double-A, and is currently pitching for Chinese Taipei in the World Baseball Classic.
Qualifier games started last Thursday for the 2026 WBC. Chen made his debut for Chinese Taipei during their second game, which they won 9-1 against South Africa.
The right-hander pitched exceptionally well, throwing three scoreless frames. He only allowed two hits but no walks, striking out four opponents.
Po-Yu Chen is dealing! Taiwan 9 outs away from keeping their WBC hopes alive heading into a massive game tomorrow pic.twitter.com/iFawH16GmM
— World Baseball Network (@WorldBaseball_) February 22, 2025
Underrated Pirates prospect Po-Yu Chen shines in World Baseball Classic qualifier showcase opportunity. Where will he start 2025 season?
Chen didn't just dominate in his debut, but showed some long-term promise in this game as well. He's not a flamethrower, but he was sitting 93-94 MPH with his sinker, topping out at 94.8 MPH, which represented an uptick from previous seasons. He still threw his four-seamer around 91-92 MPH, along with a mid-80s changeup and upper-70s curveball. Chen has always shown good command over his arsenal as well, which was no different this weekend.
Last season, Chen struggled through the month of April (where he allowed 14 earned runs and seven walks in just 14.2 innings) before rebounding to the tune of a 3.54 ERA, 4.00 FIP, and 1.23 WHIP over 119.1 innings. His 18.7% strikeout rate fell short of the league average. However, he carried a solid 7.2% walk rate and 0.68 HR/9 from May through the end of Altoona's season.
Chen's promising 2025 debut is hopefully a preview of what he'll do at Triple-A Indianapolis this season. He is entering his age-23 season, and could potentially make his Major League debut before the end of the year. The Pirates have a ton of pitching depth already, but Chen may still be able to find a role on the Bucs, especially if he continues to make strides forward throughout 2025. Starting off strong rather than scuffling will help make the positive impression he needs as well.