Left-hander Deok Ju Ham is staying in the Korea Baseball Organization, as Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News (X link) reports that Ham has re-signed with the LG Twins for a four-year deal worth close to $2.9MM, including incentives.
Ham emerged as a possibility for Major League teams last month, when MLB tendered a status check on the southpaw with the KBO League. This procedural move essentially indicates some level of interest in a Korean player from a big league team, though obviously no deal was worked out and Ham opted to stay with the Twins. It could be that he preferred the security of a four-year contract over what might’ve been just a one-year flier from a Major League team for less money, or perhaps even a non-guaranteed sum. Yoo notes that the status check “came as a surprise,” though it isn’t clear if this was surprising to Ham, the Twins, or maybe both parties.
Since Ham has 11 seasons of experience in the KBO League, he was a full free agent, and would’ve available to be signed by a big league team without an additional posting fee going to the Twins. Despite that long track record in South Korea, Ham is still a few weeks shy of his 29th birthday, and might be poised for bigger things now that he has seemingly moved past the injuries that limited him to 33 2/3 innings in 2021-22. Ham bounced back strongly to post a 1.62 ERA over 55 2/3 relief innings for the Twins in 2023, helping the Seoul-based franchise capture the third Korean Series title in franchise history.
Ham has a 3.50 ERA over 501 2/3 innings in his KBO career, comprised of eight seasons with the Doosan Bears and the last three seasons with the Twins. Working mostly as a reliever, Ham has dabbled in rotation work by starting 33 of his 397 career games, but has generally found more success out of the bullpen. Ham isn’t a high velocity pitcher and his 23.94% strikeout rate is solid but unspectacular, and he has been bothered by control problems at various points in his career.
The four-year contract closes the door on Ham’s chances of coming to the big leagues in the near future, barring a trade or some kind of further agreement between the lefty and the Twins. He’ll be 33 at the end of the deal and could still perhaps be a candidate to jump to MLB in 2028, though for now, Ham will focus his efforts on bringing the Twins another championship.
Cknyc
why does this pop up in notifications? “mlb trade rumors”….who in the flying fruitbatcakes cares about the kbo league?!
Liberalsteve
racist
Cknyc
@ liberalsteve
your mother. who might even be your sister.
notice how only white people find my comment racist.
inbred.
deGrom/Langford Texas Ranger
This guy may have considered playing in the US.
magnificence
It was previously reported that MLB teams were interested in signing him. Fair to report that he’s no longer available.
Habitual Truth Teller
You cared enough to comment
It’s a free site free content. Nobody forced you to be here.
bestone
Scraping the bottom of the barrel for news. It must be difficult trying to create content when it doesn’t exist….
Merry Christmas
Tabata's Adopted Son
@Fartgod, makes me think the “including incentives” portion of the contract is pretty hefty.
FartGod
I removed my comment after I reread. It’s pretty reasonable. But yeah the incentives must be high. I didn’t see the years of the contract at first.
MLB Top 100 Commenter
For Ham, it’s a lot of bread.
TrumboRedux
How could the “Fighters” have overlooked this guy??
MLB Top 100 Commenter
Maybe this is half-baked, but he couldn’t “bring home the bacon” with the Ham Fighters?
Ham would have been sliced to pieces by hungry MLB batters.
He did get a nice offer with the “Swiss”, you respond wryly.
TrumboRedux
Manny, I have never been made so hungry by a post on here before..Thank goodness I have a late-night dinner in the works at the moment. Ham…Bacon.
.Swiss….Maann I want a sandwich now though!! XMAS in 2mins Manny! Merry merry 2 U!
Human Being
Ironically, I am having ham for Christmas. Merry Christmas everyone!
whosehighpitch
Dammit. I thought the Nippon Ham Fighters had a real shot
TheOtherMikeD
A glitch from kbotraderumors.com.
Br857
In other news. Who gives a sh#t
MLB Top 100 Commenter
Don’t be a turkey and complain about news of Ham.
bestone
Known to his better half as “Ham honey”……or in Korea is it “honey Ham”?
Blue Baron
Jus generally have circumcised Deoks and don’t eat Ham.
YanksTomator
Grats to him. Life changing money. Enjoy the life sir