Orix Buffaloes pitcher Mu-heng Chen (20) stepped up on the 18th as a "big brother figure" for infielder Yi-an Chang (18) and pitcher Chen-wei Hsu (18), who joined the team under developmental contracts. He warmly welcomed the addition of his two fellow Taiwanese juniors, who are two years younger than him. "I am very happy. I have more partners now," he said with joy, showing his readiness to answer any questions they might have.

Chang, a two-way player who played alongside him at Ku-Pao Home Economics and Commercial High School, served as the captain of the Taiwan national team at the 14th U-18 Asian Championship, recording a .444 batting average and 6 RBI. 'Since his first year of high school, he had amazing hitting, and my impression was that he was a player with a good defense. I thought it was incredible how he was in the starting line-up right away,' Chang said, noting that he had felt his high potential since that time. After arriving in Japan, he showed them around the club facilities in Maishima, Osaka, and held a 'comrades gathering' at a Chinese restaurant with Hsu, a right-hander who clocks a maximum speed of 153 km/h. 'The two of them didn't have anything specific they wanted to eat, so I chose what I wanted to eat (laughs),' he revealed.

What he conveyed to the two as a senior was the importance of embracing Japanese culture. Having personally worked hard to master the Japanese language with a tutor after coming to Japan in 2024, he emphasized that 'being able to express your own feelings in your own words improves your mental well-being.' He immediately taught them polite Japanese-style greetings such as 'Good morning' and 'Thank you for your hard work.' He nodded, adding, 'It is better to accept things with an open mind and try to blend in.'

In his second year with the team, he earned a spot on the active roster in July and pitched in two games with the first squad. 'Next year, I want to strengthen my body and be able to pitch innings consistently,' he said, feeling motivated to make a significant leap forward. Their dream is for all three of them to become key contributors to the first squad. They will continue to push each other and carry the future of the Orix Buffaloes. (Shunta Nambu)