SHENZHEN, CHINA, February 3, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The 2026 CPB Chinese Professional Baseball Spring Game concluded on February 1 in Shenzhen, Guangdong, with the Shenzhen Blue Sox defeating the Shanghai Dragons in a best-of-three championship series to claim the inaugural Spring Game title. Bluesox’s Wu Qirui was named the season’s Most Valuable Player.
As a newly launched competition, the month-long CPB Spring Game adopted a format markedly different from previous domestic tournaments and generated extensive discussion both within China and across Asia.
Including players added through supplementary registration after the season began, a total of 125 players were registered for the 2026 Spring Game. Domestic players accounted for 47% of the roster, while players from Hong Kong, China and Taiwan, China represented 33%, and foreign players made up the remaining 20%.
The clubs’ coaching staffs totaled 19 members, including two domestic coaches. The diverse and relatively high-level composition contributed to a level of competitiveness and watchability comparable to established Asian tournaments.
The international makeup also tested team cohesion. While individual performances initially outweighed collective execution early in the season, coordination improved as teams adjusted. By roughly one-third of the schedule, offensive and defensive connections became more fluid, ball movement improved, and overall team play grew more cohesive, resulting in a more engaging on-field product for spectators.
Shanghai Dragons’ Pachitalu Nikaerh said team priorities shifted as the competition progressed. “When we first came here for training camp, everyone had their own things they wanted to show. But once the games started, people stopped thinking only about themselves—winning for the team became everyone’s main focus.”
From a statistical perspective, 24 home runs were recorded across 30 regular-season games, including five by domestic players. Veteran Lu Yi of the Shenzhen Bluesox contributed one of them. Lu, who briefly retired in 2023, said his performance exceeded expectations despite declining physical condition. “The feeling of coming back is great—I haven’t had enough yet,” he said, adding that his motivation for joining CPB was straightforward: “I want to play baseball—just want to play baseball.”
Chinese baseball has shown measurable progress in recent years. The national team finished fourth at the 2024 U23 Men’s Baseball World Cup, its best result to date, and was ranked 17th in the WBSC world rankings at the end of 2025.
Rather than focusing solely on established international names, CPB has placed a long-term emphasis on developing domestic players. With the increase in competitive match frequency, local players appeared more composed and confident in the latter stages of the season, producing performances comparable to those of top foreign players.
Several domestic players drew attention during the tournament, including Shenzhen Bluesox’s top draft pick Wu Qirui; Shanghai Dragons’ infielder Li Ning; 20-year-old Xiamen Dolphins players Fu Huachen and Wang Jun; and Fuzhou Sea Knights’ outfielder Wen Zixian—all of whom gained popularity among Chinese fans.
Data analysis played a central role in CPB operations. During player tryouts, organizers introduced a globally recognized baseball sports science system to identify potential domestic talent. After the season began, a dedicated statistics team provided real-time game and player data via stadium displays, broadcasts, and the CPB’s official digital platforms, showcasing advances in event management and presentation.
Compared with previous baseball competitions in mainland China, CPB offered a notably different in-stadium and off-field atmosphere. Fans experienced a more interactive viewing experience, supported by CPB Cheerleaders—known as the “CPB Girls”—selected through online and offline auditions. They served multiple roles, including leading cheers, organizing between-inning activities, and facilitating fan engagement before, during, and after the games.
Music was another defining element of CPB’s live presentation. The event collaborated with ‘AJ’ Zhang Jie, a member of the popular pop music group Nan Quan Mama, to produce and perform the official theme song, Pride. Each of the four clubs also received a customized cheer song, with CPB Girls leading fans throughout the games. The high-energy stands atmosphere became a distinguishing feature of CPB’s debut season.
In addition to games held in Shenzhen, a secondary event took place over one weekend in Zhongshan, Guangdong. Postgame autograph sessions emerged as an unexpected highlight. Players routinely spent more than half an hour signing autographs and taking photos with fans, making the interaction a regular postgame feature. Demand for autograph boards and signed baseballs subsequently made them the top-selling items at on-site merchandise stands.
For youth participants, the month-long tournament carried broader significance. Parents of young fans in the Shenzhen Bluesox youth training program said frequent close-range exposure to competitive games helped children better understand the sport and develop greater analytical awareness.
Shenzhen Bluesox manager Ray Chang said:
“In some ways, CPB is more important than producing the first China-born MLB player. I might say that everything starts with a foundation—to have baseball like this every day for the fans and for the young kids to see.”
CPB adopts a “city plus enterprise” participation model, integrating sports with business and urban development. Sponsors for the inaugural season spanned sectors including food, sports, and technology, while merchandise such as commemorative baseballs, autograph boards, and club souvenirs proved popular.
Organizers said clubs will begin preparations for the Summer Game following adjustments during the Chinese Lunar New Year holidays, with several clubs already initiating plans to construct permanent home stadiums. CPB will continue operating short-format tournament seasons—the Spring Game and Summer Game—over the next two years before transitioning to a full home-and-away format starting with the 2028 season.
Fu min
Shanghai Kubang Sports Business Co., Ltd.
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