BASEBALL/Captain Taiwan hopes commercial success inspires players to work hard

Taipei, Jan. 13 (CNA) Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲), Team Taiwan's captain at the 2024 WBSC Premier12, has appeared in multiple local ads since the team won the historic championship last November, which he said he hopes will spur domestic players to strive for excellence.

"This can set a goal for younger players. If you work hard and maintain a good image, you can increase your income through endorsements.

"It's great that we, as baseball players, can showcase our influence on businesses," Chen said at a public event in Taipei Sunday, adding that this is a common goal among his teammates.

Chen, named MVP of the WBSC flagship tournament, has been widely hailed as the new face of Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) due to his growing influence both on and off the field.

Currently, Chen has endorsed products ranging from shampoo and scooters to water heaters. Since December, he has also graced the pages of Taiwan's three major fashion magazines -- Vogue, GQ, and ELLE -- with ELLE featuring him on the cover of its January special edition.

The recent success has fueled discussion about Chen's chances of playing overseas and saw the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions outfielder make it clear that "I embrace all opportunities."

Since Premier12, Chen has emphasized on multiple occasions the shortness of an athlete's pro career, saying his goal is to maximize his value while he can, a sentiment shared by many players.

With Chen set to become a free agent as early as this offseason, the Uni-Lions have announced their determination to keep him and have begun early contract negotiations.

However, the uncertainty over Chen's future seems likely to continue for a while as the five-time CPBL All-Star said on Sunday that he does not rule out entering the free agent market at the end of the year to explore offers from other teams.

"It's natural for players to want to know their true value -- it's one of our motivations. If our skills get recognized, we can earn more to improve our lives and support our families. This is why we play," he said.