Daejeon: The Hanwha Eagles have made a significant addition to their roster by signing free agent slugger Kang Baek-ho to a multiyear contract. The deal, finalized on Thursday, marks a notable acquisition in this year's relatively thin free agency market.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kang, 26, agreed to a four-year contract valued at up to 10 billion won (approximately US$6.8 million). The agreement includes a signing bonus of 5 billion won, with a total salary of 3 billion won over the contract's duration. Additionally, Kang is eligible for up to 2 billion won in incentives.
Kang Baek-ho, a left-handed batter and right-handed thrower, has spent his entire eight-year career with the Korea Baseball Organization's (KBO) KT Wiz. He was the first overall pick in the 2017 draft and quickly established himself by winning the Rookie of the Year award in 2018, hitting 29 home runs and driving in 84 runs.
Throughout his career, Kang has been a reliable power source, though his home run tally has not yet surpassed his rookie season's total. He earned Golden Glove awards at first base in 2020 and 2021, demonstrating his prowess as the best player at his position after starting his KBO career as a corner outfielder.
Despite being regarded as a defensive liability in the outfield and at first base, Kang transitioned to a catcher role in 2024, accumulating significant innings behind the plate. However, his career has been marred by injuries, causing him to miss significant portions of the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Last year, he played all 144 games, hitting 26 home runs with 96 RBIs, but his performance dipped this year to 15 homers and 61 RBIs over 95 games.
Despite a challenging year in 2025, Kang remained the top prospect in this year's free agency due to his young age and versatility in defense. Originally planning to showcase his talents to Major League Baseball (MLB) scouts in the United States, Kang canceled his showcase to sign with the Eagles.
The Eagles, who were runners-up in the Korean Series last month, made financial room for Kang by releasing two high-salary veterans, infielder An Chi-hong and pitcher Lee Tae-yang, freeing up significant cap space.
Kang is expected to bolster the Eagles' offense, joining forces with right-handed slugger Roh Si-hwan, who achieved a career-high 32 home runs this season. Kang expressed gratitude to the Eagles for recognizing his potential and providing a positive environment for his career progression.
As Kang joins the Eagles, the team is required to compensate the KT Wiz by paying twice his previous salary and offering a player not on the Eagles' protected list, or by tripling his previous salary.