The Auckland Tuatara have added some serious star power to their roster for their return to the Australian Baseball League this season with former MLB shortstop Tzu-wei Lin signed.
Lin joins the Tuatara having spent five years in the major leagues previously with the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins where he hit .223.
The 28-year-old was also part of the 2018 Red Sox team that won the World Series, although he did not play in any of the five matches against the Dodgers.
Since leaving the Twins last year, Lin has been with the Long Island Ducks in New York but he will head down under to join the Tuatara shortly, Auckland CEO Regan Wood said.
“It is massive getting someone of Lin’s experience and ability,” Wood said.
“He can play at third base, shortstop or second base and will be a very good hitter at this level.
“It will be great for some of our young Kiwi players to learn off him and rub shoulders with someone of his stature in the game.
“There will also be significant interest in Asia in how he plays as well and that is a great thing for our franchise and for the league.”
Wood joins four prospects from the Texas Rangers, three from the San Diego Padres and a host of local players currently confirmed on the roster in what will be the Tuatara's first season in the Australian Baseball League since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Tuatara said they expect to announce more signings in the next few days as they build-up to their return to the ABL.
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