The Philadelphia Phillies have signed 17-year-old right-handed pitcher making him the third Taiwanese high school graduate to join a Major League Baseball organization this summer, according to UDN.
The team announced the signing earlier this week. Reports indicate Ho received a signing bonus of $500,000, with the total value of his contract reaching approximately $800,000. Those figures were later confirmed by his agent, Mimali Talent Agency, in a social media post.
Ho, a member of the Amis Indigenous tribe from Hualien County, began his baseball career at Yuli Elementary School before continuing at Sanmin Junior High School. He later attended Pingjen Senior High School in Taoyuan, one of Taiwan’s most respected baseball programs.
Internationally, Ho has represented Taiwan at the 2023 Asian Youth Baseball Championship and the 2024 U-18 Baseball World Cup. He was also selected for the training squad for this year’s Asian Youth Baseball Championship. Widely viewed as one of Taiwan’s top high school pitching prospects, Ho drew increasing interest from MLB scouts as his performance steadily improved over the past several years.
According to his agent, Ho’s parents initially encouraged him to play baseball to help him develop teamwork, communication skills, and self-discipline. He also excelled academically, earning the Basegarden Scholarship five times. Ho has said he hopes to continue his studies while pursuing his baseball career in the United States and eventually become a role model for young people in Hualien.
Ho also expressed gratitude to his coaches for giving him opportunities to compete in both domestic and international tournaments. He recalled being impressed by the talent of Pingjen’s senior players when he first joined the program, noting that competing alongside them broadened his understanding of the game and helped open the door to opportunities with overseas professional teams.