In the past, it seemed impossible to move to the Major League while playing in Korea. The best way was to fly to the U.S. immediately to Park Chan-ho, Kim Byung-hyun, Seo Jae-eung and Choi Hee-sup, and grow up in the Minor League to become major leaguers. Or he had to play in the KBO league and check his skills in the Japanese league before moving to the Major League. Due to the low level of KBO league, no matter how good he is in the KBO league, he did not immediately move to a major league contract.
However, as Korean players showed their skills in international competitions, the Major League gradually began to see Korean baseball differently. In 2013, Hanwha Eagles Ryu Hyun-jin signed a six-year $36 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, making the first case of going straight from the KBO League to the Major League.
Kang Jung-ho then went to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2015, and Park Byung-ho to the Minnesota Twins in 2016, showing off his slugging capability. When Kim Ha-sung moved to the San Diego Padres in 2021, he signed a four-year contract worth 28 million dollars, showing a slightly different status. Ryu Hyun-jin had more money, but Kim Ha-sung had more money on average. And Kim Ha-sung has elevated his status as a key player in the Major League to the point where he received a gold glove for the first time in three years.
And Lee Jung-hoo agreed with San Francisco on a large-scale contract worth 113 million dollars for six years. If he passes the medical check-up, he will make an official contract. In terms of total, it is the second-largest contract in Korean history after Choo Shin-soo’s seven-year 130 million-dollar contract with the Texas Rangers in 2014.
Ryu Hyun-jin, who signed a four-year $80 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2020 for an annual average of $18.83 million, is the second highest ever. Now, Ryu Hyun-jin, Kim Ha-sung, and Lee Jung-hoo have proven that he can go to the Major League with a good enough contract even if he plays in the KBO League.
Currently, San Diego’s Choi Ji-man (32) and Oakland Athletics’ Park Hyo-joon (27) and Pittsburgh’s Bae Ji-hwan (24) are the only players who advanced directly from the Major League without going through the KBO League.
Recently, there are still players heading to the U.S. immediately after graduating from high school. In January this year, Deoksu High School’s Shim Joon-seok, who was ranked No. 1 in the high school rankings, signed a $750,000 down payment with Pittsburgh, and in August, Yongma High School’s Jang Hyun-seok signed a $900,000 down payment with the LA Dodgers. 메이저 토토사이트
Foreign players who threw well and played well in the KBO League, such as Eric Peddy of the NC Dinos, who signed a two-year $15 million contract with the Chicago White Sox after achieving the pitcher Triple Crown and becoming MVP, are often exported back to the Major League.
The choice is made by the player himself, but what is clear is that the status of the KBO League is increasing. In a comfortable Korea, I was able to go to the Major League after growing up while playing baseball happily and being loved by the people. The time has come when I no longer have to eat the tearful bread of the minor league.