Chia-Jen Lo

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #22 prospect in 2013
  The Astros signed Lo to a $250,000 bonus three months after he'd pitched for Taiwan in the Beijing Olympics. He reached Double-A in his first season in the United States, though elbow pain caused him to miss most of 2010. Diagnosed with a partially torn ligament, he tried to rehab the injury but eventually had Tommy John surgery. After working just 17 innings in 2010-11, he finally returned healthy last season and pitched well enough to earn a spot on the 40-man roster. Lo has regained his velocity, pumping a heavy 94-96 mph fastball to go with a solid curveball. Lo gets most of his strikeouts with his fastball, and when his curve is on he can pitch up and down in the strike zone. His changeup is just for show. Lo led the Arizona Fall League with 14 appearances after the season and should be ready for a full load in 2013. He could factor into Houston's bullpen in the near future. He has the upside of a closer if the stays healthy and maintains his improved control.
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #26 prospect in 2011
  The Astros know they still have a long way to go to rebuild the farm system and have cast a wide net to find talent. They signed Lo at age 22 out of Taiwan in 2008 for $250,000, after he put together a distinguished career on Taiwan's national teams, including the 2008 Olympic squad and World Baseball Classic roster in 2009. Lo has worked in relief exclusively since signing but missed almost all of the 2010 season with a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow. He threw his last pitch that counts on April 30. Lo tried to get back on the field with rehabilitation and rest but wasn't ready to let it fly. Astros officials say he'll be ready by spring training, and he never had surgery. When he was healthy, Lo reached 96 mph with his fastball, though it was fairly straight from a high three-quarters arm slot. He had more movement when his fastball ranged from 88-93 mph, and he had plenty of confidence in his heater. He made progress in spring training using his hard, upper 70s curveball more, and it has potential to be an average or better big league pitch. Lo's changeup is more for show than anything, and he's strictly a relief option. Houston's bullpen is wide open, and if healthy Lo could work into that equation with a strong start.
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #5 prospect in 2010
  The Astros are trying to raise their profile in Asia, and Lo was the first major acquisition of Pacific Rim scouting director Glen Barker. Signed out of Taiwan for $250,000 in November 2008, Lo pitched for his nation in the Beijing Olympics and was on its World Baseball Classic roster but didn't see any game action. He survived Lancaster and reached Double-A in his first pro season. The Astros initially talked about using Lo as a starter but wound up deploying him as a reliever in part because his fastball sits at 93-96 mph when he works out of the bullpen. Both his short curveball and his changeup can be average pitches. Throwing from a high three-quarters slot, he creates deception that causes hitters to see the ball late. Lo has extreme confidence in his fastball, to the point where he sometimes doesn't use his secondary pitches enough. His control needs improvement after he walked 4.6 batters per nine innings in his pro debut. Shoulder tendinitis caused him to miss the last two weeks of May, but he was healthy afterward. Houston thinks Lo could be ready to help its bullpen at some point in 2010, though he'll probably begin the season in Triple-A. If he refines and trusts a second pitch, he could be the Astros' closer of the future.
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #12 prospect in 2009
  Houston sought to raise its profile in the Pacific Rim two years ago and dispatched Glen Barker to scout the region. His first major signing came in November with Lo, the first Taiwanese pitcher in the Astros system. He shouldn't be overwhelmed by his new surroundings, having pitched for his national team in the Beijing Olympics, allowing one run in two relief innings, as well as several other major events since 2004. Lo has primarily worked in relief in the past, but a potential four-pitch arsenal with a clean delivery have the Astros willing to give him a shot as a starter. He showed a 91-92 mph fastball after signing and has reached as high as 96. He also throws a splitter, slider and change. The splitter isn't overpowering, but Lo gets it to bottom out. The slider comes in 79-81 and has late life, but needs more sharpness to be an out pitch. His changeup is just OK at this point. The Astros find a lot to like about his delivery and build. Unlike Japanese pitchers who often have a pause, or Korean pitchers who can be herky-jerky, Lo is fluid and balanced. After finishing his college education, Lo will join the Astros in spring training and could open as high as high Class A.