TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Philadelphia Phillies have signed 17-year-old right-handed pitcher Ho Hua (何樺), making him the third Taiwanese high school graduate to join a Major League Baseball organization this summer, per UDN.
The Phillies announced the signing this week. Reports said Ho received a signing bonus of US$500,000 (NT$15.97 million), with the total value of his contract reaching approximately US$800,000. Ho's agent, Mimali Talent Agency, later confirmed the figures in a social media post.
A member of the Amis Indigenous tribe born in Hualien County, Ho began his baseball journey at Yuli Elementary School and later played for Sanmin Junior High School. He later enrolled in Taoyuan's Pingjen Senior High School, one of Taiwan's premier baseball programs.
Ho has represented Taiwan internationally, competing at the 2023 Asian Youth Baseball Championship and the 2024 U-18 Baseball World Cup. He was also selected for the training squad for this year's Asian Youth Baseball Championship. Widely regarded as one of Taiwan's top high school pitching prospects, Ho attracted attention from MLB scouts as his performance improved over the past several years.
According to his agent, Ho's parents initially encouraged him to play baseball to develop teamwork, interpersonal skills, and self-discipline. He also excelled academically, receiving the Basegarden Scholarship five times. Ho said he hopes to continue studying while pursuing his baseball career in the US and eventually become a role model for young people in Hualien.
Ho thanked his coaches for providing opportunities to compete in domestic and international tournaments. Ho recalled being impressed by the talent of Pingjen's senior players when he first entered the program and said competing alongside them broadened his baseball knowledge and ultimately led to opportunities with overseas professional teams.
