Taipei: Infielder Lee Hao-yu, the Detroit Tigers' No. 6 prospect, withdrew from the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) on Thursday due to health concerns. This decision came just hours before Team Taiwan's Pool C opener against Australia. According to Focus Taiwan, the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL), which coordinated the national team roster, stated that the Tigers made the final decision to pull Lee from the tournament. The CPBL's statement noted that preliminary MRI results reviewed by team doctors did not indicate a significant issue. However, the findings were forwarded to the tournament's medical staff and Lee's parent organization for further review. The Detroit Tigers officially informed the national team that, as a precaution, they would keep Lee under observation and opted to withdraw him from the WBC roster. Lee will be replaced by infielder Chang Cheng-yu. This development is another setback for the team, which is already missing Chicago Cubs prospect Jonathon Long, who withdrew in l ate February with a sprained left elbow. Lee experienced tightness in his left side after batting during Tuesday's official warm-up game. On Wednesday, CPBL Commissioner Tsai Chi-chang mentioned that while trainers initially cleared Lee of any major issues, the Tigers remained cautious and instructed him to undergo further medical evaluation. Tsai emphasized that the Tigers are taking an extremely cautious approach, viewing Lee as a valuable asset. At 23, Lee is a versatile infielder known for his power at second and third base. In the 2025 season, he played for the Tigers' Triple-A affiliate, achieving a .243/.342/.406 slash line over 126 games, with 14 home runs and 61 RBIs.
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