Kang Baek-ho (25) of the KT Wiz, who received a request for identity verification from the U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB) office, is expected to play in the KBO League next year.
A KT official said on the 31st, “The club has never discussed overseas expansion with Kang Baek-ho. “The player also confirmed through his agent that he has no intention of going overseas at this time,” he said.
On this day, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced, “We have received a request from the MLB Secretariat to provide status relief for Kang Baek-ho of KT and Hye-seong Kim of Kiwoom Heroes.”
Requesting an identity check is a preliminary procedure that overseas clubs take to recruit Korean players.
However, requesting a background check does not guarantee a big league contract. A club can request a status check for a player they are interested in without necessarily going to the contract stage.
Kang Baek-ho, who did not qualify as a free agent, must obtain permission from the club to advance overseas.
It seems unlikely that Kang Baek-ho’s trip to the U.S. this winter will come to fruition, given that the player has revealed through his agent that he currently has no intention of challenging overseas and that there have been no discussions with the club.
Kang Baek-ho, who entered the professional ranks after being selected by KT as the first pick in the second round of 2018, attracted attention as a ‘genius hitter’. In his first year of debut, he posted a batting average of 0.290, 29 home runs, and 84 RBIs in 138 games, winning the Rookie of the Year award.
Although he experienced ups and downs due to injuries and slumps starting in 2022, he bounced back this year by playing in all games (144) and posting a batting average of 0.289, 26 home runs, and 96 RBIs. He was also a catcher in high school, and this year he often wore a catcher’s mask depending on team circumstances.
His career records include a batting average of 0.307, 121 home runs, 504 RBI, and 499 runs in 802 games.
Unlike Kang Baek-ho, Kim Hye-seong showed her willingness to challenge overseas early on.
The Kiwoom club accepted Kim Hye-sung’s intention to challenge for the major league in January and allowed her posting.
As there are teams that have shown interest, Kim Hye-sung’s dream of advancing to the big leagues can come true.
Kim Hye-seong, who joined the Nexen Heroes (now Kiwoom) as the 7th pick in the second round in 2017, played a total of 953 games and recorded a batting average of 0.304, 37 home runs, 386 RBIs, 591 runs, and 211 runs.
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Kang Baek-ho of the KT Wiz hit a solo home run during the KBO postseason semi-playoff game against the LG Twins on October 9, 2024, at KT Wiz Park in Suwon, Gyeonggi-do. As a significant highlight of the match, Kang joyfully ran around the field after his home run in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Currently, Kang Baek-ho, who is 25 years old, is anticipated to remain with the KT Wiz in the KBO League for next season. Despite having received a request for identity verification from Major League Baseball (MLB) regarding his potential move overseas, a KT official clarified that there have been no discussions about Kang’s transition to the MLB and he has no desires to pursue this opportunity at present.
Kang Baek-ho has built a strong professional record since being selected in the second round of the 2018 draft. He quickly made a name for himself as a “genius hitter,” being named Rookie of the Year after his debut season in which he achieved a batting average of .290, 29 home runs, and 84 RBIs. After facing some challenges due to injuries and slumps in 2022, he bounced back this year with impressive statistics, playing in all 144 games and recording a .289 batting average, 26 home runs, and 96 RBIs.
In contrast to Kang, Kim Hye-seong of the Kiwoom Heroes has expressed a strong desire to pursue a career in the MLB and has already been granted permission by his club to seek opportunities abroad.
Both players, with their contrasting aspirations and promising careers, are under the spotlight as the KBO season progresses.