Yu-Min Lin
Bio:
Age: 19
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 160 lbs.
Bats/Throws: Left/Left
Hometown: Taitung, Taiwan
Draft Profile: Signed as International Free Agent February 16th, 2022
Drafted Out of: N/A
Career Stat Line: 105 IP 2-5 W/L 2.83 ERA 154:39 K:BB .207 AVG. 1.10 WHIP
The ladder from minor league ball to the majors is a difficult challenge for any to accomplish. The low pay, constant travel, uncomfortable buses and less than ideal living conditions can be a lot for many to cope with. Now imagine having to do that with your family, friends, and life as you knew it, half way across the world. That's the exact situation our Spotlight Yu-Min Lin is in right now, all in pursuit of his baseball dreams.
He began playing baseball at the early age of four, ultimately making his way onto the Chinese-Taipei World Baseball Cup U-12 and U-15 teams (Hillsboro News-Times). His youth experience culminated with a victory in the U-18 World Championship in 2019, avenging their only loss of the tournament by upsetting the United States 2-1 for the gold. Lin faced two batters in 1/3 of an inning during the final game, recording a walk and a strikeout (WBSC).
Two years later, after things settled down with the COVID pandemic, Yu-Min made his arrival onto the professional radar. As one of the tournament's younger attendees, the lefty struck out 14 in just 8.2 innings of work at the U-23 World Baseball Cup, catching the eyes of MLB scouts. Just a few short months later, he reached a deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks for a modest $525,000 signing bonus and was off to rookie ball (CPBL Stats).
Things kicked off in June 2022 at the Arizona Complex League, where he spent half of his inaugural campaign. While at the ACL, Lin only allowed six earned runs across 23 innings of work with a 41:6 K:BB ratio and a .118 opponent batting average (MiLB). Late that July, he got the call up to class A Visalia. His ERA and K/9 ratios remained similar, but the increase in competition resulted in his BAA skyrocketing to .254.
Adjustments didn't take long for the Diamondbacks' fourth rated pitching prospect, as he finished 2022 as the California League Pitcher of the Week after a six inning, two hit, ten strikeout winning decision against the Inland Empire 66ers. It was a refreshing performance for a kid who'd been struggling a bit previously against the improved opposition.
Lin carried that momentum into a 2023 season where he's really shined as a member of the A+ Hillsboro Hops. He's still currently sporting a sub-three ERA and surrendering hits at a much lower clip than the previous year. Pundits have raved about his command and ability to mix up pitches, a talent that's reflected in his 33.3% career K rate.
If you find yourself out near Hillsboro, Oregon for any reason in the coming weeks, it'd definitely be worth the effort to see this ascending prospect in action. He pitches a beautiful game; one we're hoping to see continue flourish through the minors and beyond. If he continues to find his spots the way he has thus far, we believe that's a very real possibility for him.
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@Choppinglines
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