Seoul:The LG Twins have announced the return of their American slugger, Austin Dean, with the most lucrative contract ever awarded to a foreign hitter in South Korean baseball history.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Dean will continue with the Twins for his fifth season in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), having signed a one-year contract valued at $2 million.

In the 2026 season, Dean played all 144 games, setting a franchise record with 41 home runs, and finishing third overall in the league for home runs. He led the KBO in on-base plus slugging with 1.062, was third in RBIs with 127 and hits with 180, and fourth with a .331 batting average.

Dean has been a standout performer since joining the Twins in 2023, winning the Golden Glove at first base in 2023 and 2024. In 2024, he led the league with 132 RBIs and earned the KBO Fielding Award at first base. Over his tenure with the Twins, he has amassed 127 home runs and 449 RBIs, leading all KBO players in these categories since 2023.