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Hanwha Eagles’ MVP Cody Ponce Heads to US Amid MLB Speculation
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Teh KBO’s most dominant pitcher, Cody Ponce, is reportedly pursuing opportunities in Major League Baseball after a historic season with the Hanwha Eagles.
Cody Ponce, fresh off winning the Most Valuable Player award and four major pitching accolades, has unexpectedly departed for the United States, leaving fans and the Hanwha Eagles organization to speculate about his future. The move comes despite previously scheduled appearances at the KBO Golden Glove Awards on November 9th, which Ponce has now canceled.
A Record-Breaking Season in the KBO
Ponce’s 2025 season with the Hanwha Eagles was nothing short of remarkable. The right-hander posted a remarkable 17-1 record with a league-leading 1.89 ERA across 29 starts. He pitched a total of 180 innings, allowing 128 hits – including 10 home runs – while striking out a KBO-record 252 batters. His WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) stood at an impressive 0.94.
The pitcher’s dominance earned him the top spot in four key statistical categories: most wins,lowest ERA,most strikeouts,and highest winning percentage (0.944). He became only the third pitcher in KBO history to achieve this “four-gold” feat, joining koo Dae-seong (1996) and Yoon Seok-min (2011). Beyond the accolades, Ponce achieved a remarkable 17-game winning streak and surpassed the previous single-season strikeout record of 225, previously held by Ariel Miranda.
reader question:– Why did Cody Ponce leave for the U.S.? The pitcher departed unexpectedly, fueling speculation of a potential move to Major League Baseball. He left his wife and newborn daughter in Korea.
Unexpected Departure and MLB rumors
According to a Hanwha team official, Ponce left for the United States alone on October 30th, leaving his wife and newborn daughter in Korea. The abrupt departure has fueled speculation about a potential move to Major League Baseball.
Ponce addressed the rumors following the KBO awards ceremony, stating, “if you look at my SNS, I follow several major league teams such as the LA Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates. I don’t know why such rumors arise as I follow the club’s SNS. Actually, people’s speculations are interesting.” He jokingly suggested following the LG Twins to further stir the pot, but ultimately downplayed the importance of his social media activity, stating he was “just concentrating on raising children.” However, the sudden cancellation of his remaining commitments in Korea suggests a more serious pursuit of MLB opportunities.
Reader question:– What did Ponce say about the MLB rumors? He said he follows MLB teams on social media, but downplayed the significance. He also canceled remaining commitments in Korea, suggesting a serious pursuit of MLB opportunities.
“If this continues, it appears that Ponce will not return to Korea in the future and will continue negotiations to enter Major League Baseball,” a source close to the team indicated.
Hanwha Prepares for Life Without Its Ace
While the Eagles are undoubtedly disappointed to perhaps lose their star pitcher, the team is proactively preparing for the 2026 season. hanwha recently signed Venezuelan right-hander Wilkel Hernández and Yonatan Peraza as new foreign players.They also added Wang Yancheng, a former member of the Taiwanese national team, to their roster as an Asian quota player.
reader question:– How is Hanwha preparing for Ponce’s potential departure? The team signed Venezuelan right-hander Wilkel Hernández and Yonatan Peraza. They also added Wang yancheng, a former member of the Taiwanese national team, to their roster.
Despite expressing disappointment over the team’s Korean Series runner-up finish, Ponce expressed his commitment to the Eagles
