Former Cubs lefty Eric Jokisch has re-signed with the Kiwoom Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization, per an announcement from the Heroes (link via Jee-ho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency). He can earn up to $700K on the one-year deal.
Now 30 years of age, Jokisch only appeared in one MLB season — when he posted a 1.88 ERA in 14 1/3 innings with Chicago back in 2014 — but had a track record of solid performances in the upper minors before heading to South Korea last offseason. Jokisch’s first year with the Heroes was a strong one, as he pitched 181 1/3 innings of 3.13 ERA ball with 7.0 K/9 against 1.9 BB/9.
Since Jokisch is only re-upping on a one-year deal, he’ll be a name worth keeping an eye on over the course of the 2020 campaign. It’s become increasingly common for fringe big leaguers who find success in the KBO or in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball to use those leagues as a launching pad for a second chance in MLB. Eric Thames, Miles Mikolas, Chris Martin and Merrill Kelly have all done so in recent years, and righty Josh Lindblom is looking to add his own name to that list this winter.
The Kiwoom Heroes really need to sign Spencer Kieboom…
Why??? He has nothing to show in the minors as an offensive catcher
wooooooosh
Tee hee hee @Eightball611 just got whooshed
Unfortunate last name. I am glad it’s not pronounced a certain way.
Glad I wasn’t the only one with that thought
It would be poetic if he ends up with a teammate named Fun-Gi Kur
Funny, But it’s actually pronounced YO-kish per baseball-reference..com. Still, points awarded…
gotta admit, this is a new one.
He’s just your everyday journeyman reliever I don’t blame you for not remembering him
“journeyman relievers” don’t throw 181 innings mixed with those numbers, peabrain.
You’re the pea brain because Korean baseball isn’t big league caliber. Also in the major league system he’s played exactly 1 season in the majors (albeit a decent one) and has played 5 different major league teams mostly unsuccessfully. So he does qualify as a journeyman with one good season at a AAA level league
You’re just wrong on this. He has been used as a starter for most of his career and the past three seasons. He’s a fringe MLB starter, 6th man. He could’ve been useful as a reliever, but teams continued to use him as a starter as depth in the minors.
Oof I made myself look like a fool by adding the word “reliever” I really just meant a journeyman pitcher
2021 might just be the year he comes back to the MLB.
Mel Rojas Jr is also trying to comeback to the majors
Yeah: I’d offer him a one year deal worth $1.5 million with a team option for $3 million if I was the Kansas City Royals or Detroit Tigers