Yang Dai-kang: Career Over, But Glorious Future Awaits

It has been about a month since the joint tryout for the 12 NPB teams.

The future of the man who once starred for the Nippon Ham Fighters and the Yomiuri Giants, winning the stolen base title and a Gold Glove, remains unclear for next season. Yang Dai-kang (37), with a career total of 1,164 hits and 105 home runs, hopes to continue his professional career, but the situation is reportedly quite tough.

“He was once known for his speed and hitting ability, but with his current team, the Oisix Niigata, in the minor leagues, he posted a .232 batting average with zero stolen bases. At his age, it’s hard to hide the decline. Since his FA move from Nippon Ham to the Giants in 2016, he’s struggled. The only season he played more than 100 games for the Giants was in 2019.

After leaving the Giants in 2021, he went to the U.S. and joined an independent league, and also participated in the Australian Winter League during the offseason. But he has lost the form of his peak years. Injuries have been a major factor. Since joining the Giants, injuries, such as to his thigh, became chronic. He is not in a condition where he can run properly. Continuing his career seems almost impossible at this point,” said a sports newspaper reporter.

Taiwan’s Legend

There are options like independent leagues and overseas opportunities. However, if he remains fixated on professional baseball in Japan, no team is likely to come forward to sign him.

After the joint tryout mentioned earlier, Yang spoke to the media, saying, “I’ve been given various experiences. It’s exciting to wait for a team to contact me, but I think it’s better not to have high expectations.” Could this be the end, with him quietly hanging up his uniform?

“No, no. A glorious future is still possible. While continuing his playing career may indeed be difficult, there is a good chance he could be welcomed back as a coach in Taiwan, given his impressive track record in Japan. Yang has been a superstar in Taiwan since elementary school, playing for the national team and achieving success in Japan.

The recent win by Taiwan in the WBSC Premier 12 tournament is still fresh in our memories. There is growing momentum in Taiwan to catch up to and surpass Japan. In the 2026 WBC in March, they are determined to beat Japan and finally claim the title. Taiwan’s legendary player, Yang, could lead the national team and face Japan in the finals.”

Having played in Japan since his high school days at Fukuoka Daiichi, the day when Yang dons the Taiwan national team uniform to challenge his second homeland is starting to feel like a real possibility.