Ray Chang (baseball)

Raymond Bo-shue Chang (simplified Chinese: 张宝树; traditional Chinese: 張寶樹; pinyin: Zhāng Bǎoshù) (born August 24, 1983) is a Chinese American former baseball infielder. He played in the 2009, 2013, and 2017 World Baseball Classics for the Chinese national team.

Ray Chang
Chang in 2012
Infielder
Born: (1983-08-24) August 24, 1983
Kansas City, Missouri
Bats: Right Throws: Right

Professional career

Chang was initially scouted while playing at Rockhurst University. He signed with the Padres as a non-drafted free agent in 2005. That year, he split time with the Arizona Fall League and Lake Elsinore. In 2006, he played 26 games with Fort Wayne, hitting .286 with 26 hits and 19 runs over 91 at-bats. He hit three home runs and drove in eight. That season he also played about a dozen games each in Double-A Mobile and Triple-A Portland.

In 2007, Chang split time between High-A Lake Elsinore where he hit .304 and Triple-A Portland, where he spent most of the season. After about 30 games split between Double-A San Antonio and Triple-A Portland, the Padres released Chang. He joined the Pittsburgh Pirates late in the season before appearing in 5 games with their Double-A affiliate in Altoona.

On January 20, 2010, Chang signed a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox. Chang played the 2010 season with the Double A Portland Sea Dogs and was named Baseball America's Best Eastern League Defensive 3rd Basemen [1]

He signed minor league contract with Minnesota Twins in 2011.[2]

In May 2011 Ray Chang was called up to the triple A Rochester Red Wings and hit .250 with 28 at bats with the Red Wings as of May 11, 2011.[3]

International career

Chang was a member of the China national baseball team competing in the 2009 World Baseball Classic (WBC). Although Chang was born in America, he is eligible to compete for Chinese national team because both of his parents were born in China.

Chang is one of three players, along with Zhenwang Zhang and Liu Kai, affiliated with a Major League club to make the Chinese team. As a shortstop, Chang forced the Chinese team captain, Yufeng Zhang, to move to first base. Chang homered and drove in two runs while going 3-4 with a slick defensive play to help China beat Chinese Taipei 4-1 on March 7, 2009, for China's first WBC win.

Chang was selected to play for China in the 2013 World Baseball Classic

He was invited to spring training with the Cincinnati Reds on March 7, 2016.

Chang also represented China in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. The team was eliminated from 1st Round Pool play with 3 losses. Chang retired from professional baseball after the tournament and accepted a job to run a baseball camp in China.

References
  1. "The Capital Sports Report". Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  2. "Twins 2011 Impact Prospects". Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  3. "Ray Chang Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Retrieved 24 March 2017.
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