Giljegiljaw Kungkuan

Kungkuan Giljegilijaw
Kungkuan Giljegilijaw
	Kungkuan with the Columbus Clippers in 2018
Wei Chuan Dragons – No. 4
	Catcher
	Born: March 13, 1994 (age 30); Taichung, Taiwan
	Bats: Right Throws: Right
CPBL debut
	August 25, 2021, for the Wei Chuan Dragons
CPBL statistics ; (through 2024 season)
Batting average	.279
Home runs	71
Runs batted in	233
Teams
	Wei Chuan Dragons (2021–present);
Career highlights and awards
	CPBL Home Run Champion (2022);

Giljegiljaw Kungkuan (Chinese: 吉力吉撈·鞏冠; pinyin: Jílìjílāo Gǒngguān; born 13 March 1994 in Taichung, Taiwan), previously known as Chu Li-Jen (Chinese: 朱立人), is a Taiwanese baseball catcher for the Wei Chuan Dragons of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). Giljegiljaw signed with the Cleveland Guardians as a free agent in 2012, and stayed with the team until 2020 when he left to play for the Wei Chuan Dragons.

Professional career

Giljegiljaw began his professional career with the Cleveland Indians as a non-signed free agent, being signed on November 29, 2012 by Jason Lynn and Allen Lin.^[1] He was signed for $40,000 as one of several players from Taiwan the team was signing at the time.^[2] From 2014 to 2019, he spent his time in the Rookie league and A ball leagues, failing to get more than 150 plate appearances in a season.

After a 2017 season with the Lake County Captains that saw him breaking this streak by getting 518 plate appearances and getting selected as a Midwest League Postseason All-Star,^[3] he spent time in the A, AA, and AAA leagues in 2018. Giljegiljaw became a free agent on November 2, 2020.^[4]

In the 2021 CPBL draft, Giljegiljaw was selected second overall by the Wei Chuan Dragons.^[5] On August 20, 2021, the Dragons announced they had made a 2.4-year, NT$12.93 million contract with Giljegiljaw. Along with the monthly salary from the contract, it included a NT$850,000 incentive bonus.^[6] He didn't play a season for them until 2021, where he spent some time for the minor league team before making the major league roster. That season, he hit .256/.310/.458 with 11 home runs and 32 RBIs.

In 2022, Giljegiljaw became the CPBL home run champion by hitting 14 home runs, the fewest home runs hit by a home run champion in the league. This lowered number was caused by a change to the balls used by the league, which lowered the ball's coefficient of restitution and raised the seams.^[7] That season, he hit .286/.350/.481 with 56 RBIs in addition to his home runs.

International career

Giljegiljaw played in the 2008 PONY World Series and was the home run derby winner.^[5]^[8]

Giljegiljaw was selected for the Chinese Taipei national baseball team at the 2023 World Baseball Classic. In 12 at bats, he got 4 hits and a home run.^[9]

Personal life

Giljegiljaw is an Indigenous Taiwanese and belongs to the Paiwan tribe.^[10] He was previously known as Li-Jen Chu.^[11]

References

^ 2019 Cleveland Indians Press Guide. 2019. p. 94.
^ "Indians Sign Yu-Cheng Chang From Taiwan For $500,000 - BaseballAmerica.com". 2013-06-23. Archived from the original on 2013-06-23. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
^ "Tapia, Chu named MWL Post Season All-Stars". MiLB.com. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
^ Hilburn-Trenkle, Chris (2 November 2020). "Full List of 2020-2021 MiLB Free Agents". Baseball America. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
^ ^a ^b "中職選秀》強打捕手降臨！味全首輪選進吉力吉撈". Liberty Times (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 12 July 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
^ "鞏冠加盟味全龍 2.4年總和1293萬". Yahoo News (in Chinese). 20 August 2021. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
^ "台湾プロ野球で珍事、14発で本塁打王 "飛ばないボール"で打高投低に異変". Full-Count（フルカウント） ― 野球ニュース・速報・コラム ― (in Japanese). 2022-10-27. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
^ "Long Beach is Walk-Off Winner!". WJPA. 16 August 2008. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
^ "Chinese Taipei Roster & Staff". World Baseball Classic. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
^ Hahn, Daniel (24 February 2020). "Cleveland Indians: Getting to know Giljegiljaw Kungkuan". Away Back Gone. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
^ Yang, Stephanie; Shen, David (2 May 2023). "Some Indigenous people in Taiwan want to drop their Chinese names: 'That history has nothing to do with mine'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 9 December 2023.

External links

CPBL
Player information from WikiBaseball (in Chinese)

Career statistics from Baseball Reference (Minors)

[1] 2019 Cleveland Indians Press Guide. 2019. p. 94.

[2] "Indians Sign Yu-Cheng Chang From Taiwan For $500,000 - BaseballAmerica.com". 2013-06-23. Archived from the original on 2013-06-23. Retrieved 2023-04-12.

[3] "Tapia, Chu named MWL Post Season All-Stars". MiLB.com. Retrieved 2023-04-12.

[4] Hilburn-Trenkle, Chris (2 November 2020). "Full List of 2020-2021 MiLB Free Agents". Baseball America. Retrieved 10 December 2023.

[Liberty_2021-5] "中職選秀》強打捕手降臨！味全首輪選進吉力吉撈". Liberty Times (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 12 July 2021. Retrieved 10 December 2023.

[6] "鞏冠加盟味全龍 2.4年總和1293萬". Yahoo News (in Chinese). 20 August 2021. Retrieved 2023-03-22.

[7] "台湾プロ野球で珍事、14発で本塁打王 "飛ばないボール"で打高投低に異変". Full-Count（フルカウント） ― 野球ニュース・速報・コラム ― (in Japanese). 2022-10-27. Retrieved 2023-04-12.

[8] "Long Beach is Walk-Off Winner!". WJPA. 16 August 2008. Retrieved 10 December 2023.

[9] "Chinese Taipei Roster & Staff". World Baseball Classic. Retrieved 2023-02-25.

[10] Hahn, Daniel (24 February 2020). "Cleveland Indians: Getting to know Giljegiljaw Kungkuan". Away Back Gone. Retrieved 9 December 2023.

[11] Yang, Stephanie; Shen, David (2 May 2023). "Some Indigenous people in Taiwan want to drop their Chinese names: 'That history has nothing to do with mine'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 9 December 2023.

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