The Detroit Tigers sent Michael Lorenzen to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2023 in exchange for infield prospect Hao-Yu Lee. While Lorenzen hasn't returned to his All-Star form, Lee has blossomed into one player the Tigers organization can build around for the future.
Making his debut in 2026, Lee struggled out of the gate, even being sent back to Triple-A for his lack of production at the plate. When Lee got recalled for the second time, he never flirted with going back to the minor leagues, becoming one of the most energetic young stars for Detroit.
Lee ended his season with 10 home runs, 46 RBIs, and a .747 OPS with a .264 batting average. Manager A.J. Hinch knew he could slot the Taiwanese-born player into the lineup at either third base or second base and that he would come up with his bat in clutch situations.
As Lee returned home to Taiwan this offseason, flowers and a plaque greeted him, celebrating his impressive rookie season. During this season, he became the all-time leader in hits and home runs for a Taiwanese-born player in Major League Baseball history. Lee also set a goal for himself: to surpass his 2026 performance by 2027.
Hao-Yu Lee's 2027 Goal
In Chao Yen-hsiang's Focus Taiwan article, Lee expressed the main goal, other than making the opening day roster, that he holds for himself in his sophomore season in the Motor City.
"Once I make it, my goal for next year is to play in the All-Star Game," Lee said.
Lee has a ton of potential and an already established passion for the game. If he continues to come through in moments when the Tigers need him, while getting opportunities at second and third base, the goal of becoming an All-Star shouldn't be too far-fetched.
Lee knows that opportunities like this don't come to everyone, so for those who look up to him in the United States and in Taiwan, he has a down-to-earth approach to how he took the first steps of his rookie season that kids who dream of becoming baseball players should follow.
Lee's Message to Young Taiwanese Players
"Everyone starts on the bench. I couldn't expect to be in the lineup right from the beginning," Lee said. "I only had a few opportunities, so I had to make the most of them."
"If I was only going to face left-handers, I would focus that week on the reports on their left-handers."
One of Lee's final moments in the 2026 season occurred when he was in the batter's box at Comerica Park. After striking out, he broke his bat over his knee. This moment serves as a message to those who look up to him: do not repeat his mistakes from that at-bat.
One day, Lee hopes that his presence in Major League Baseball will only pass the torch to Taiwanese-born players making their names known.
"Each generation passes the torch to the next, just as Yu Chang passed it to me," Lee said. "I want to raise the bar, so Taiwanese players know we can achieve more and establish ourselves in the majors."
Safe to say that if Lee continues his upward trend with Detroit, the future of Taiwanese-born professional baseball players is in good hands.
Add us as a preferred source on Google