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| FA Kang Baek-ho will wear the Hanwha Eagles uniform for a total of 10 billion won for four years on the 20th. Photo courtesy = Hanwha Eagles |
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| Photo courtesy=KT 위즈 |
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| Photo provided by Samsung Lions |
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Ahead of this season, KT Wiz drastically raised Kang Baek-ho's salary, which was sluggish last year, to 700 million won. The annual salary in 2024 was 290 million won, but it increased by 141.1%.
In 2024, his performance rebounded with a batting average of 289, 159 hits, 26 home runs, and 96 RBIs, which was a factor in the increase, but it was not going to be this high. It was an annual salary with a preliminary FA premium added. Plan B to receive compensation when Kang Baek-ho moves to the FA.
At first, he thought of the Major League, but suddenly signed a total of 10 billion won FA contract with Hanwha, and KT brought Han Seung-hyuk, a must-win bullpen pitcher, as a compensation player along with a compensation of 1.4 billion won, which is twice this year's salary.
1.4 billion won is by no means a small amount. This time, catcher Han Seung-hack, who came from KIA to KT, signed a four-year total of 1 billion won, and KIA left-handed pitcher Lee Joon-young signed a four-year, 1.2 billion won contract to remain. Doosan's Cho Soo-haeng also signed an FA contract for four years and 1.6 billion won.
KT made aggressive investments in the FA market. Along with Han Seung-taek, Kim Hyun-soo (5 billion won for four years) and outfielder Choi Won-joon (4.8 billion won for four years) were brought in. LG paid 750 million won in compensation, and NC handed over 800 million won in compensation and compensation player Yoon Jun-hyuk. It can be said that the compensation he received from sending Kang Baek-ho was used as compensation for recruiting Kim Hyun-soo and Choi Won-joon.
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| FA's biggest fish Park Chan-ho signed a four-year contract with Doosan for a total of 8 billion won. Photo courtesy = Doosan Bears |
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| Kim Hyun-soo signed a three-year, 5 billion won jackpot contract with KT. Photo courtesy of KT Wiz |
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| Photo courtesy=KT 위즈 |
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According to each club's FA market investment, including compensation, Doosan signed with four players, including Park Chan-ho and Lee Young-ha, Choi Won-joon, and spent the largest amount of 19.5 billion won in total. The club that spent the second most was Hanwha, not KT. Hanwha spent a total of 11.4 billion won just to recruit Kang Baek-ho. KT spent a total of 11.047.5 billion won on recruiting three players and compensation, but excluding 1.4 billion won in compensation received from sending Kang Baek-ho, it became a club that spent a total of 11.047.5 billion won less than Hanwha.
LG spent 6.5 billion won on signing Park Hae-min, but as Kim Hyun-soo's compensation was 750 million won, the actual amount was 5.75 billion won. KIA, which signed only two players, including Yang Hyun-jong and Lee Joon-young, and sent Park Chan-ho, Choi Hyung-woo and Han Seung-taek, spent 5.7 billion won on two contracts, but the compensation received was 2,497.5 billion won, so the actual amount spent is 3,225 million won.
Samsung signed a two-year contract with Choi Hyung-woo for a total of 2.6 billion won, but the actual recruitment cost is 4.1 billion won as the compensation is 1.5 billion won.
NC did not move in the FA market this time, but it earned Choi Won-joon's compensation of 800 million won and compensation player Yoon Jun-hyuk. Twelve out of 21 people signed contracts, and now there are nine left, but SSG, Lotte, and Kiwoom are still quiet.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
