Free agent pitcher Ham Deok-ju re-signs with LG Twins
Free agent pitcher Ham Deok-ju re-signs with LG Twins
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Free agent pitcher Ham Deok-ju is staying put in Korea with his original club, the LG Twins, after drawing interest from Major League Baseball (MLB) at the end of November.
The Twins announced Sunday they have signed the 28-year-old reliever to a four-year contract worth up to 3.8 billion won ($2.9 million). Ham will make 1.4 billion won in total salary over those four years and also receive a signing bonus of 600 million won. He can make another 1.8 billion won in incentives.
"I am happy to get this deal done before the end of the year," Ham said. "I was happy to have stayed healthy this season. I will try to stay consistent on the mound going forward."
Ham pitched to a career-best 1.62 ERA in 57 appearances for the 스포츠 Twins this year and helped them win their first Korean Series title in 29 years in November.
At the end of November, MLB tendered a status check on Ham, a sign of interest from at least one big league club. Under an agreement between MLB and the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), a major league team interested in a Korean player, professional or amateur, must complete the status check through the KBO.
In these instances, MLB must not reveal the identities of the big league clubs inquiring about the Korean player.
Ham was a fifth-round draft choice by the Doosan Bears in 2012 and made his KBO debut with them the following year, logging three games as an 18-year-old.
He was traded to the Twins just before the beginning of the 2021 season. He had a brief audition in the starting rotation of his new team but struggled with blisters and elbow problems.
He only pitched in 16 games in 2021 and just 13 more in another injury-plagued season in 2022. Ham returned to form nicely in 2023, and his 55 2/3 innings were his most since 2018.
Ham pitched in four of the five Korean Series games for the Twins this year and gave up a run across 3 1/3 innings while striking out five.
Of 19 players in free agency this winter, nine have found a home so far.
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