Taipei: Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions slugger Lin An-ko, the only Taiwanese player among the three finalists for the 2025 Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) regular season MVP, has exercised his overseas free agency option. The league announced Lin's decision on Monday, making him the second CPBL player this offseason to explore opportunities with overseas teams - mainly in Japan and the United States - while still under contract with the Lions.
According to Focus Taiwan, Lin, 28, signed a three-year, NT$21.6 million (US$699,583) deal with the Uni-Lions in early 2025. Under CPBL regulations, he remains eligible to request a posting after the 2025 season, having played for the team for at least three full seasons. Uni-Lions General Manager Su Tai-an told CNA that the team had offered Lin an early contract renewal during their meeting Monday morning, but Lin was determined to pursue an overseas opportunity and submitted his application later that day.
Although Lin is still under contract, Su said the agreement was made under mutual understanding, and the franchise respected Lin's determination to chase his dream. He added that the team would assist Lin in related procedures and wished him luck. Lin joined the Uni-Lions as the fourth overall pick in the 2019 midseason draft. In his first full season in 2020, he smashed 32 home runs to earn the Rookie of the Year award.
He batted a career-best .318 over 90 games in 2025 and hit his 100th CPBL home run in a game against the Fubon Guardians in Tainan on June 28. According to local media reports, multiple clubs from Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) have expressed interest in Lin. Should he move abroad, the Uni-Lions would lose a key domestic talent for the second consecutive offseason, following the departure of fireballer Gu Lin Ruei-yang in 2024.
Lin is vying for the 2025 CPBL regular season MVP with CTBC Brothers ace Nivaldo Rodrguez and Rakuten Monkeys pitcher Pedro Fern¡ndez, who was named 2025 Taiwan Series MVP. The league will announce the winner at its annual award ceremony Wednesday evening.