Yanks sign two Chinese players, first with nation's approval

NEW YORK -- The New York Yankees signed a pair of Chinese players, saying Monday they were the first players from China signed by major league teams with the approval of the country's baseball association.

Kai Liu, a 19-year-old left-handed pitcher, and Zhenwang Zhang, a 19-year-old catcher, are to be introduced at a Yankee Stadium news conference July 6 and then will report to the team's minor league complex in Tampa, Fla.

Liu has played for Guangdong Province in China's six-team league and has been chosen for the national team. Zhang played for the Tianjin Lions, winning league titles in 2002, 2005 and 2006, and appeared in one game at last year's World Baseball Classic but did not have any at-bats.

"We have scouts worldwide and we have seen both players in the past," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said.

Yankees executives visited China in January and reached a working agreement with the Chinese Baseball Association.