South Korean left fielder Kim Hyun-soo has agreed to play for Major League Baseball’s Baltimore Orioles under a two-year, $7 million deal, the Baltimore Sun reported on Thursday.
Considered one of the best hitters and most durable players in the Korea Baseball Organization, Kim, 27, batted .326 with a .438 on-base percentage, 28 home runs and 128 RBIs last year while playing in 141 of the Doosan Bears’ 144 games.
The Sun, citing a industry source, reported Kim flew from South Korea to Baltimore Wednesday and likely will have a physical here this week. The deal is pending a medical review, the source said.
Because of the length of his career in South Korea, Kim achieved international free agency and was not subject to the posting process, in which teams bid for the right to negotiate a contract with a player.
Last month, South Korean slugger Park Byung-ho signed to joined Major League Baseball's Minnesota Twins on a four-year, $12 million contract.
The 29-year-old will get $2.75 million in each of the next two seasons and $3 million each in 2018 and 2019. The Twins have a $6.5 million option for 2020 with a $500,000 buyout, according to terms of contract released on Tuesday.
Park played 140 games last year for the Nexen Heroes in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO). Playing as a first baseman, Park led the league with 53 home runs and 146 runs batted in.
By Alex Lee
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
