1.2 billion multi-year contract in exchange for giving up the FA, and the Redemption King a year ago is on the road to re-entry...Will I succeed like Lim Chan Kyu
1.2 billion multi-year contract in exchange for giving up the FA, and the Redemption King a year ago is on the road to re-entry...Will I succeed like Lim Chan Kyu
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Giving up requires courage as much as applying for free agency. With 20 players on the market applying for free agency, players who have yet to exercise their rights also attract attention.스포츠토토
On the 5th, KBO announced the list of 20 approved players out of 30 who were announced as eligible FA players in 2025.
KIA pitchers Lim Ki-young (31·B grade), Jang Hyun-sik (29·B grade), infielder Seo Geon-chang (35·C grade), Samsung infielder Ryu Ji-hyuk (30·B grade), outfielder Kim Heon-gon (36·C grade), LG pitcher Choi Won-tae (27·A grade), Doosan pitcher Kim Kang-ryul (36·C grade), infielder Heo Kyung-min (34·B grade), KT pitcher Um Sang-baek (28·B grade), infielder Woo-min (39·C grade), SSG pitcher Noh Kyung-eun (40, B grade), infielder Choi Jeong (37, C grade), Lotte pitcher Koo Seung-min (34, A grade), Kim Won-joong (31, A grade), Hanwha infielder Ha Joo-chan (30·B grade), NC pitcher Lim Jung-ho (34, C grade), outfielder Kim Sung-wook (31, C grade), Kiwoom pitcher Moon Sung-hyun (33, C grade) applied for FA and came to the market.
Twenty FA-approved players announced on the 5th can sign contracts with all clubs, including overseas clubs, from the 6th.
On the other hand, except for KT infielder Park Kyung-soo (40·C grade), Hanwha outfielder Kim Kang-min (42·C grade), and pitcher Shim Chang-min (31·B grade), who was released from NC, Doosan infielder Kim Jae-ho (39·C grade), KT infielder Oh Jae-il (38·B grade), SSG pitcher Seo Jin-yong (32·B grade), Lotte pitcher Jin Hae-soo (38·B grade), Hanwha catcher Lee Jae-won (36·B grade), Kiwoom infielder Choi Joo-hwan (36·B grade), and outfielder Lee Yong-kyu (39·C grade).
Among them, Choi signed a multi-year contract with Kiwoom on Saturday. The deal is worth up to 1.2 billion won (1.5 million U.S. dollars) per 2+1+1 year. A total of 600 million won (62 million dollars) is guaranteed between 2025 and 2026, respectively. If the contract for the next season is automatically extended when the option is met, the contract will be automatically extended, and if the contract is completed for all four years, the contract will receive 1.2 billion won (1.5 million dollars).
Choi posted a batting average of 257 (124 hits in 482 times at bat) and an OPS of .715 with 13 homers and 84 RBIs in 130 games this year. Although his performance was not remarkable, he showed a batting average of around .308 in the scoring area and seven finishing hits, displaying his ability to resolve issues in chances. As a first baseman, he showed tremendous stability in defense and was recognized for his contribution to offense and defense. As Grade B generates compensation players other than 25 protected players, it was not certain whether he would win such a contract if he had entered the FA market.
Along with Choi Joo-hwan, Seo has drawn attention the most among the players who have yet to apply for the FA. Since his debut in the pro league in 2015, Seo has posted a total of 521 games (527 ⅔ innings) with 29 wins, 26 losses, 88 saves, 84 holds and an ERA of 3.97 strikeouts for 10 seasons, which is a proven bullpen. He ranked first in this category by making 42 saves last year. He has blocked no saves in 50 consecutive games since the season's opening, becoming the longest consecutive player in the KBO league.
After the season, however, he underwent Tommy John surgery and rehabilitated, and joined the first team a month after the season's opening. He had difficulty recovering his pitching capability due to the surgery, and threw only halfway through the game without finding a finishing position. He posted a consistent performance as the main bullpen pitcher for seven years from 2017, but failed to make a breakthrough in the FA season.
Koo Seung-min, Lim Ki-young and Lee Yong-chan, who were in a similar situation, applied for free agent. It is advantageous for bullpen pitchers whose ball power is important to become free agents even when they are younger than one year old. There may be some variables just by delaying the game for a year. However, Seo, who is 32 years old and relatively young, will choose to re-learn the game next season.
LG pitcher Lim Chan-gyu is the most successful player in the KBO League as an FA re-entry. In the 2022 FA season, Lim Chan-gyu was sluggish in 23 games (103 ⅔ innings) with 6 wins and 11 losses and an ERA of 5.04. Lim Chan-gyu, who was classified as a B-grade after the season, did not apply for an FA. In 2023, which was when he chose to re-entry the FA, Lim Chan-gyu rebounded with 30 games (144 ⅔ innings) with 14 wins, 3 losses and 1 hold average ERA of 3.42. He exercised his FA status by becoming an integrated winning member of LG, and re-signed with LG for a maximum of 5 billion won for four years. The guaranteed amount is 2.6 billion won, but Lim Chan-gyu played in 25 games (134 innings), 10 wins, 6 losses, and 1 hold average ERA of 3.83 this year, his first year as an FA contract. He has become an exemplary FA player by pitching well in three post-season games (16 ⅔ innings) with three wins and an ERA of 1.08.
Lee Yong-kyu also made headlines by giving up his application as a free agent after finishing the 2017 season when he was a member of Hanwha. That year, he played only 57 games due to elbow inflammation and wrist fractures. His batting average was 263 (47 hits in 179 times at bat) and his on-base percentage was 332 and 10 steals, which was worse than in previous years. Lee Yong-kyu, who chose to re-enter the FA market in 2018, hit 293 in 134 games (144 hits in 491 times at bat) and raised his performance to 379 and 30 steals in the on-base percentage. Although there was not as much market demand as expected, he renewed his contract with Hanwha for up to 2.6 billion won in 2+1 years.
In some cases, the re-examination of the free agent failed. Seo Geon-chang is a good example. Seo Geon-chang, who acquired his first free agent status at LG after the 2021 season, tried again when he became an A-grade player, but his performance fell further in 2022. Seo Geon-chang, who was tied to the A-grade player after the 2022 season, was released after the 2023 season as his poor goal deepened. Seo Geon-chang, who rebounded by moving to Kia, finally applied for the first free agent this winter when he became a C-grade player.