FA 10 billion question mark, but going to ML?Kang Baek-ho made a surprise contract with NL MVP batter agency, what does it mean

Aug 13, 2025

KT Wiz Kang Baek-ho, who signed with global agency Paragon Sports International. Photo courtesy =Paragon Sports International

KT Wiz Kang Baek-ho (center), who signed with global agency Paragon Sports International. Photo courtesy = Paragon Sports International

KT Wiz Kang Baek-ho showed his willingness to enter the U.S. Major League Baseball.

The global agency 'Paragon Sports International' announced its contract with Kang Baek-ho on the 13th. Kang Baek-ho's willingness to enter overseas markets, who will become a FA after this season, is read.

Paragon Sports International said "We are happy to include Korean baseball star Kang Baek-ho on our major league roster. I look forward to a great performance in the future."

The leading star of Paragon Sports International is Christian Yelich of the Milwaukee Brewers. An outfielder who had a reputation as a hotachoon until 2019. Yelich won the National League MVP with his first career All-Star in 2018 when he was 26, batting .326 (187 hits in 574 at-bats), 36 home runs, 110 RBIs and an OPS of 1.000. It has been going downhill since 2020, but it is still a Milwaukee star.

If Kang Baek-ho can sign a contract with a major league team, he can expect the effect of Kim Hye-sung and Ohtani Shohei (LA Dodgers). Kim Hye-sung announced her major league challenge last year and joined hands with another global agency, CAA Sports. CAA Sports is a company with big name Ohtani. Ohtani shared the training site when Kim Hye-sung stayed in the U.S. during the posting period, and it is said that he was encouraged by giving the necessary advice. As Kim Hye-sung signed with the Dodgers, the two, who became teammates, are often seen jokingly talking.

It is unclear whether Kang Baek-ho will win a major league contract. After graduating from Seoul High School, he was named the No. 1 overall pick in the second round of the rookie draft by KT in 2018. In his 19-year-old debut season, he won the Rookie of the Year award with 138 games, a batting average of 0.290 with 29 home runs and 84 RBIs, revealing the future of Korean baseball.

There is no disagreement with Kang Baek-ho's batting ability. Until the 12th, he had a KBO career batting average of 0.304 (980 hits in 3226 at-bats), 131 home runs, and 543 RBIs. Although he suffered a long slump in 2022 and 2023, he is still at the center of KT's lineup.

KT Kang Baek-ho hits a game between KIA and KT at Suwon KT Wiz Park on the 22nd, with no outs and no outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. Suwon = Reporter's wook@sportschosun.com/2025.05.22/

The problem is defense. Major League teams view defensive capabilities as important as hitting. Both KBO players Kim Ha-sung (Tampa Bay Rays) and Kim Hye-sung, who currently play in the Major League, have taken opportunities at each club based on their solid defense. Once the defense was done, it was recognized as a utility, and thanks to this, he was able to increase his batting as he entered the batter's box more and more. Lee Jung-hoo (San Francisco Giants), who had no major weakness in defense in Korea, also should stop playing center fieldMajor League Baseball is a place that is so cold that it is pointed out that ' is pointed out.

Kang Baek-ho still does not have a clear defensive position in his eighth year as a professional. KT used various positions, including first baseman, corner outfielder, and catcher, but it always ended up being a designated hitter. His feet are slow to watch outfield defense, and his stability is poor even as a first baseman. This year's catcher conversion experiment didn't last long. This is why even the FA 10 billion theory always has a question mark.

Kang Baek-ho had 65 days of absence due to injuries, including an ankle injury this season, which is the most important. He returned in the second half of the year and suffered a hitting slump for a while, but has recently been hitting like Kang Baek-ho again. He has 62 games, a batting average of 0.255 (56 hits in 220 at-bats), 10 homers, 39 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.784.

In a situation where there could be losses in the FA contract, Kang Baek-ho even left the path to overseas expansion. For now, it seems to be a move to make the best choice after the season, leaving all possibilities open to playing in domestic and foreign leagues.

KT Kang Baek-ho runs hard toward third base when Jang Sung-woo hits a double in the fourth inning.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.