TIGERS AGREE TO TERMS WITH FU-TE NI ON MINOR LEAGUE DEAL
Lefthanded Pitcher Receives Invitation to Major League Camp
DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers today announced the club has agreed to terms on a minor league deal with lefthanded pitcher Fu-Te Ni from Taiwan. Ni will be in major league camp with the Tigers this spring as a non-roster invitee.
Ni spent the past two seasons pitching for the China Trust Whales in the Chinese Professional Baseball League. In 2008, he finished 5-12 with a 3.34 ERA and 132 strikeouts in 145.1 innings pitched. Ni led the CPBL with 132 strikeouts in 2008. He finished 7-12 with a 3.53 ERA and 125 strikeouts in 122.1 innings pitched during the 2007 season. Ni finished third in the CPBL with 125 strikeouts that season, while he was eighth with his 3.53 ERA.
“Our personnel that have scouted Ni project him as a major league pitcher,” Tigers President, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager David Dombrowski said. “The efforts by Al Avila (vice president/assistant general manager), Tom Moore (director, international operations), Kevin Hooker (pacific rim coordinator) and Allen Lin (Taiwan scout) have brought this well-scouted prospect to our organization. We are pleased to add Ni as we continue to expand our international scouting efforts.”
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