The Philadelphia Phillies moved quickly to leverage recent acquisitions in the international pitching market.
Last week, the club executed a quiet deal with the Cleveland Guardians, which enhanced its international spending capacity.
Just hours afterward, the Phillies revealed one of the most notable names in their 2026 international signing group, underscoring their ongoing commitment to building long-term pitching depth.
Philadelphia turned the Guardians trade into a deal for a teenage international pitcher. The franchise officially brought in 17-year-old Taiwanese right-hander Ho Hua, shortly after swapping minor-league pitcher Ryan Degges to Cleveland for an additional $250,000 in international bonus pool space.
The Phillies’ player development account on X greeted Hua shortly after the trade was finalized, confirming his signing as part of the 2026 international class.
That timing was far from accidental. According to Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Hua who is 17 and from Taiwan will receive $500,000, with part of that sum coming from the bonus pool resources obtained in the earlier trade with Cleveland.
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