Major League Baseball and the Korea Baseball Organization have agreed to a revised version of the posting system that allows players who are not yet free-agent eligible to move from the KBO to MLB, according to a report from South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. The new agreement runs through Oct. 31, 2021, according to the report.
Under the previous posting system, when a KBO team would post a player for MLB clubs before he reached free agency (which requires nine years in the KBO), they’d inform Major League Baseball of their desire to do so, and all interested teams would submit a blind bid. If the KBO team deemed the bid to be an acceptable number, the highest-bidding MLB team would be granted a 30-day window to negotiate a contract. If the bid was not accepted or agreement on a contract could not be reached, the player returned his KBO team. The MLB team was refunded the amount of its bid.
The new system, however, looks to largely mirror the recently agreed upon posting system between MLB and Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, which will go into effect this coming offseason. Once a player is posted, he’ll be free to negotiate with all 30 MLB clubs. The release fee paid to the KBO team that posted the player will now correlate to the size of the contract signed. Specifically:
- If a posted KBO player signs for $25MM or less, the release fee paid to the former KBO team will be 20 percent of the contract’s value.
- If a posted KBO player signs for more than $25MM and less than $50MM, the release fee paid to the former KBO team will be 20 percent of the first $25MM (i.e. $5MM) plus 17.5 percent of any amount over $25MM.
- If a posted KBO player signs for more than $50MM, the release fee paid to the former KBO team will be 20 percent of the first $25MM (i.e. $5MM), 17.5 percent of the next $25MM (i.e. $4.375MM), and 15 percent of any amount over $50MM.
As is the case with the posting arrangement between MLB and NPB, the new KBO posting period will run from Nov. 1 through Dec. 5. (Previously, KBO players could be posted at any point from Nov. 1 to March 1.)
It’s worth noting, of course, that the MLB collective bargaining agreement’s distinctions between amateur and professional players must still be considered. Per the CBA, a player must be at least 25 years of age and have at least six years of experience in a foreign professional league to be considered a professional player. If he meets both criteria, that player is free to sign a Major League deal for any amount and for length of time. If, however, the player is under 25 years of age or has fewer than six years of pro experience in another country, he’ll be limited to signing a minor league contract with a bonus that is taken from his new MLB team’s league-allotted international bonus pool.
Given the fact that most players from the KBO aren’t posted until they’ve spent seven or eight years playing professionally — i.e., when their teams are only a year or two from potentially losing them to free agency — it’s not likely that many players who are considered international amateurs will become available to MLB teams via this revised posting system.
Love it. Looks really well thought out. Feel thet they streamlined the process with KBO and Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball by mirroring Posting Agreements.
Heretical blasphemy!
Blasphemous? Care to explain how ;P
Idk, it just felt right to say
This is actually really funny! The reply was pure gold. Thanks for the laugh @tharrie0820
No more wasting millions on suspect prospects! How many kids named Yoan these days…..
How’s that boot taste down there?
Lol ok Jorge
Who are the most anticipated players that might be posted?
Chris Carter after he breaks the KBO HR record.
(Really hope he goes there, mashes, and comes back a new changed man, pulls an “Eric Thames” 😉
He’s not even in the KBO. Maybe you should think first. Plus, thames could play outfield somewhat unlike Carter. He also struck out less than Carter in AAA and in the MLB. Carter is a DH only player, Thames can play 1b/LF well enough. Carter isn’t really younger than Thames (a month difference). Carter doesn’t have much of a chance in all honesty.
I’m saying he should go to KBO, dude. hope he goes, and experiences the same sort of career-rejuvenation Thames had.
Carter’s career is coming to a taillight. It’s OK for me to still cheer for him.
Thanks for reminding me to revise my statement.
You seem like a nice guy. So i’ll try to answer serious.
“Former #Yankees RHP David Hale is going to Korea. The right-hander has signed with the Hanwha Eagles of the #KBO.”
link to twitter.com
Interesting, it’s a shame that his peripheral stats suggest he’ll be eaten alive in the KBO. link to fangraphs.com
“…..hope he goes there…..”
would imply he is not there yet.
Donald Trump made this happen
As much as some of us would like to blame Donald Trump for everything wrong it would, albeit stretching it to make him a godlike figure when he can’t use some common sense.
Ohhhh the 20% etc is like a reverse tariff. I wonder if the US will respond with tariffs of their own on US players going to the KBO?
Note to any morons: this is a joke!
Gangstas make the world go round.
Or maybe it is gravity; either way, a G is a G..lol
I wonder if a Mexican agreement gets sorted out.
I think the “25 and 6 years” rule could maybe be worked on, but that’s something of another issue. I do like how they’ve reformed this posting stuff.