Suwon: The Hanwha Eagles announced that they have extended Luis Liberato's temporary contract to a full-fledged agreement for the remainder of the 2025 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season. Initially brought in as a temporary injury replacement for outfielder Estevan Florial, Liberato will now earn $205,000 for his continued contributions to the team.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Liberato had originally signed a six-week, $50,000 contract on June 17 to fill in for Florial, who suffered a broken right pinkie. Florial was subsequently placed on waivers by the Eagles. In his 17 appearances this season, Liberato has posted an impressive .400/.447/.571 batting line with two home runs and 13 RBIs, while also providing strong defense in center field. His performance continued to shine as he went 3-for-4 and scored twice in a rain-shortened 6-4 victory against the KT Wiz at KT Wiz Park in Suwon.
Florial, a former New York Yankees prospect, had been putting up a .271/.333/.450 line with eight home runs, 29 RBIs, and 13 steals in 65 games before his injury. The Eagles, buoyed by an eight-game winning streak, have established a 5 1/2-game lead in first place with a record of 54-33-2. The team decided to proceed with Liberato, citing his current hot streak at the plate as crucial.
The KBO has allowed teams to sign foreign players to temporary deals since last season, provided the incumbent players are sidelined with injuries for at least six weeks. The Eagles previously exercised this option in 2024 with starting pitcher Ryan Weiss, converting his temporary deal to a full contract and retaining him for the 2025 season.
Though the deadline for deciding between Florial and Liberato was set for next Friday, the Eagles opted to act sooner. This decision was made to relieve both players from any undue stress and to enable Florial to explore new opportunities. Eagles manager Kim Kyung-moon expressed regret over Florial's situation but remained optimistic about his future prospects in professional baseball.
Liberato expressed gratitude toward the Eagles for the contract extension, emphasizing his focus on performing well for the team. Acknowledging the anxiety he felt as his temporary deal neared its end, Liberato shared his relief and commitment to maintaining his performance throughout the season.