Jonathon Long's performance
Jonathon Long, 23, is a right-handed player who is good at defending first and third base and occasionally plays as a left fielder. In 2023, he was selected by the Cubs in the ninth round of the draft and quickly emerged in the minor leagues, hitting 30 home runs in three years with an OPS close to 0.9. After entering 3A, his performance became even hotter. So far, in 46 games, his batting average is as high as .355, his on-base percentage is .420, and his slugging percentage is .541. The overall OPS has reached 0.960, which is undoubtedly an important firepower for the team.
The scout report pointed out that Long has extremely strong "raw power", fast swing speed, and excellent ball selection ability. He can hit the ball in all directions of the field and even hit long hits in the opposite direction. However, his running speed and arm strength are slightly insufficient, and his defensive range is limited. He is currently mainly responsible for first base defense.
Attention from fans and baseball circles
After the news was exposed, it attracted widespread attention from fans and baseball circles, and many people gave high praise to Long's potential. Baseball YouTuber Tainan Josh also forwarded the news and said: "The OPS of 3A hit .960! You shouldn't ask the president for everything, but this one really depends on the president." Chinese Professional Baseball League President Tsai Chi-chang also personally responded with a message: "Got it, I'll ask my colleagues in the league to find out."
With the 2026 World Baseball Classic approaching, the Chinese team is actively preparing and plans to form an overseas recruitment team to go to the United States to find potential players, especially those Taiwanese players who have not yet represented other countries. The appearance of Jonathon Long undoubtedly brings more possibilities for the future reinforcement of the Chinese team, making fans look forward to his joining.
References:wbc官網