Hanwha had a pitcher worth 58.8 billion won, Ponce's value skyrocketed 99 miles fastball selling point

Dec 02, 2025

Hanwha had a pitcher worth 58.8 billion won, Ponce's value skyrocketed 99 miles fastball selling point
Cody Ponce, the 2025 KBO League MVP, was evaluated as having a market value of $30 million to $40 million. Reporter Huh Sang-wook's wook@sportschosun.com



KBO MVP Cody Ponce is in the spotlight of the local media. The ransom is soaring.

MLB.com published an article titled 'Former Major League reliever is drawing serious attention in the United States after occupying KBO' on the 2nd (Korea time) and evaluated Ponce as worth at least $30 million.

The media said, "'Cody Ponce is dreaming of returning to the Major League by increasing his value in Asia. According to The Athletic, Ponce could sign a contract that could receive at least $30 million for three years, if not more than $40 million, in the FA market.




The Athletic reported that `According to a Major League source, Ponce's value will be at least $30 million (W44.1 billion) and maybe $40 million (W58.8 billion) or more over three years in the market`````````````.

Hanwha had a pitcher worth 58.8 billion won, Ponce's value skyrocketed 99 miles fastball selling point
Cody Ponce during the Pittsburgh Pirates. AP Yonhap News
The media outlet said 'All major league clubs want the next Merrill Kelly when they bring in a pitcher who has played in Korea. Will be happy with the next Eric Peddy rather than the next Josh Lindblom. What is the difference between successful pitchers who came from KBO to MLB and pitchers who have suffered a slump?After rhyming ' Kelly increased the restraint and fitted the cutter. Peddy failed to increase his confinement, but after returning to the U.S., he threw the sweeper the second most. 'The good news for the club signing Ponce is that he has achieved both.'"

The two are that the speed of the fastball has increased, and the second type of pitch to support the fastball is equipped with a splitter as the main weapon. In the end, it can be said that the speed of the fastball, which has been raised to up to 99 miles, is emerging as a 'selling point' in the Major League.




The Athletic reported that Ponce's fastball velocity, which averaged 93 miles in 2020-2021, was about 2 miles faster in Hanwha Eagles. The speed of his fastball has doubled the power of his breaking ball, which did not make much of an impression when he made his Major League debut. 'His new pitch has become the second most thrown repertoire after his fastball with a splitter. As a result, Ponce has a higher strikeout rate than any other pitcher who has moved to the big leagues from Korea.

MLB.com took over The Athletic's prospects and evaluations and highlighted him on the day.

Hanwha had a pitcher worth 58.8 billion won, Ponce's value skyrocketed 99 miles fastball selling point
The 2025 KBO Award Ceremony was held at Lotte Hotel in Songpa-gu, Seoul on the afternoon of the 24th. Ponce, the MVP, is kissing the trophy. Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com
Ponce marked 29 games, 180 ⅔ innings, 17-1 record, 1.89 ERA, 252 strikeouts and a winning percentage of 0.944 this season. Strikeouts are the most in a KBO season, and the percentage is 36%. In particular, he became the first foreign player to win four pitchers with traditional concepts such as multiple wins, ERA, strikeouts, and winning percentage. In modern baseball, pitching innings ranked second, WHIP first, hit rate (0.199) third, and strikeout (6.15) compared to walks. Based on this, he was named MVP.




MLB.com added that `Ponce has pitched much more effectively in Korea this season than in his time in NPB and MLB'`Peddy, Nick Martinez (2022 NPB → Pittsburgh), Merrill Kelly (2019 KBO → Arizona) and Miles Mycolas (2018 NPB → St. Louis) are successful pitchers who returned to the Major League from Korea or Japan earlier.

It means Ponce is next.





This article was translated by Naver AI translator.