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Baseball’s international appeal has long played a big role in the sport’s growth. In recent years, in particular, we have seen an incredible influx of talent from overseas come to the U.S. to play in Major League Baseball.
Much of that talent comes from Japan, as does much of the attention MLB fans pay toward the foreign leagues. With the dominance and accolades achieved by players like Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, it’s hard not to understand why.
Korea has become just as important a market for MLB teams; however, there are several notable players in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) who MLB teams should be pursuing this offseason.
Hanwha Eagles right-hander Cody Ponce
Erick Fedde and Kyle Hart won the KBO’s Choi Dong-won Award, given to the league’s top pitcher, in 2022 and 2023, and then subsequently turned that overseas success into an opportunity to return to MLB. Cody Ponce is looking to do the same. Ponce, however, was even more dominant in Korea than his fellow hurlers.
Ponce was 17-1 with a 1.89 ERA over 180.2 IP this past season for the Eagles. His 252 strikeouts set a new league record, while his 18-strikeout performance on May 17 was a new single-game mark. He led the league in wins, winning percentage, ERA and strikeouts (while finishing second in innings pitched) to become the first foreign pitcher to achieve a quadruple crown. Ponce won both the Choi Dong-won Award (unanimously) and the league’s MVP (being named on 96 of a possible 124 votes, 76 percent).
Reports in early November suggested that several MLB teams had shown interest in signing the 31-year-old Ponce. There has been speculation linking him with the San Francisco Giants, who need pitching (he’s also a native of Pomona, Calif.).
Samsung Lions first baseman Lewin Diaz
Lewin Diaz appeared in 112 games over parts of three seasons with the Miami Marlins between 2020 and 2022, hitting just .181/.227/.340 with 13 HR in 343 PA. Like many former MLB players who head overseas to play in Japan and Korea, he sought an opportunity that would let him earn more than playing in the minor leagues would.
Diaz thrived with his chance. The left-handed hitter slashed .314/.381/.644 in 628 PA for the Lions. He added 50 home runs, becoming the first foreign hitter to reach the mark in league history. His 158 RBI set a new KBO record. Diaz finished second in MVP voting (receiving 23 votes).
Kiwoom Heroes infielder Sung Mun Song
While Ponce and Diaz are free agents, Sung Mun Song will need to work through the posting system to join an MLB club. While that shouldn’t change the 29-year-old’s ability to pursue his MLB dreams, the Heroes won’t walk away with nothing if they lose their star infielder. Song actually signed a six-year, 12 billion won (roughly $8.13 million USD) extension with Kiwoom in August to avoid reaching free agency.
That extension contained language allowing him to ask the team to post him this offseason, which it officially did on Nov. 20. The KBO’s posting window is 30 days (unlike the NPB’s, which is 45).
Song batted .315/.387/.530 in 646 PA this past season while putting up career-highs in runs scored (103), hits (181), doubles (37), home runs (26) and stolen bases (25). He’s primarily played third base, but can handle the other infield positions as well.
