Jae-gyun Hwang has signed a four-year, $7.9MM deal with the KT Wiz of South Korea’s KBO League, Yonhap News’ Jeeho Yoo reports (Twitter link). Hwang was outrighted off the Giants’ 40-man roster in September and he elected to become a free agent after the season.
In returning to the KBO, Hwang ends his big league experiment after just one season. He signed a split contract with the Giants last January and hit a solid .285/.332/.453 over 386 plate appearances at the Triple-A level. After being called up to the big leagues in June, however, Hwang only managed a .154/.228/.231 slash line, albeit in just 57 plate appearances. Hwang was called up while regular third baseman Eduardo Nunez was on the DL, though even after Nunez was traded, the Giants preferred to give the starting third base job to the returning Pablo Sandoval rather than give Hwang a fuller look at the hot corner.
It was reported last season that Hwang turned down much richer offers from Korean teams (including the KT Wiz) in order to test himself in MLB, and clearly he wouldn’t have found anything near a $7.9MM deal if he’d chosen to remain in North America for another season. The 30-year-old Hwang posted some impressive numbers in his first 10 KBO seasons, hitting .286/.350/.436 over 4690 PA with 115 homers and 173 stolen bases.
Yeah, when you can’t supplant Sandoval at this point in his career, I suppose there’s not much future for you.
With 57 plate appearances(hardly a great sample size or opportunity) he was never given a chance.
Should have just let him play the season out instead of trying the Sandoval reunion.
Thx 4 tha memoriez Hwang! U will be missed,,, #NeverFORGET
I had high hopes for the kid. Ah well, good luck elsewhere Hwang.
“The 30-year-old Hwang posted some impressive numbers in his first 10 KBO seasons, hitting .286/.350/.436 over 4690 PA”
Are those numbers actually impressive in the KBO? They wouldn’t be that much above average in MLB…
Not « that » great, but last few years were much better (especially slugging, north of .500 I think)
I watched all the Giants games and feel like I never saw enough of Hwang to form an opinion. Now to be fair I didn’t watch any AAA Sacramento River Cats games and I’m not a scout but I still feel like Hwang and SF gave up too soon. I really feel like he just needed more time in the US.
I also watched all the Giant’s games, and neither am I a scout, and therein lies the issue. There was obviously something about his swing, his approach, or something that the Giants didn’t like enough to give him more of an opportunity. I’m guessing they didn’t see enough of him in the KBO to see the flaws that must have emerged given the longer look, I’m guessing that since no other MLB team had any interest in signing him that perhaps the Giants treated him appropriately.
Yeah I think you’re totally right. SF are totally dying for power. He has power so there must be something I can’t see or SF would have stuck with him. I mean remember Brandon Hicks? Couldn’t hit a curveball but SF gave him a huge rope. So anyway. Point is I think you’re right. It’s something we don’t know.
I’m no expert, but after watching some of these KBO sluggers come over here… I get the impression that their fences are about 180 feet out and the baseballs are a foot in diameter and filled with helium.
Yeah they just can’t hit these Koreans. Mind you some of these are 400 ft home runs. Furthermore, Lee was platooned which meant he wasn’t playing everyday.
youtube.com/watch?v=xvxZlGysbVM
KT Wiz wanted a bigger hwang.
What MLB should be mindful is that SF didn’t pull enough of Hwang or anyone that proved in other country and league. MLB and teams have to implement more of transition programs as early as possible such as dedicated language course and cultural education. Many cases, they’re holding them back more than superb opponents.