Seoul: The Samsung Lions announced Tuesday they will bring back first baseman Lewin Diaz and starting pitcher Ariel Jurado for the 2026 season.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club confirmed Diaz has re-signed for up to US$1.6 million. The agreement includes a $200,000 signing bonus and a salary of $1.3 million, with an additional $100,000 available through incentives.

Jurado's new contract is worth up to $1.7 million, comprising a salary of $1.3 million, a $300,000 signing bonus, and $100,000 in performance-related incentives.

Diaz, who joined the Lions midway through the 2024 season, will now embark on his second full season with the team. In 2025, Diaz made history by setting a KBO record with 158 RBIs and hitting a league-high 50 home runs, the most by a foreign player in a single season. He also led the league with a .644 slugging percentage and an on-base plus slugging of 1.025, while earning his first KBO Fielding Award at first base. Despite these achievements, Diaz was the runner-up to Hanwha Eagles pitcher Cody Ponce in the regular-season MVP voting.

Jurado, who joined the Lions before the 2025 season after two years with the Kiwoom Heroes, led the KBO with 197 1/3 innings pitched, three complete games, and 23 quality starts. He ranked fourth overall with 15 wins and a 2.60 ERA.

KBO teams are permitted to have three foreign players, no more than two of whom can be pitchers, along with an additional player from an Asian country or Australia starting in the 2026 season. The Lions concluded the 2025 season with Jurado and Gerson Garabito as their two foreign pitchers and have yet to sign their Asian quota player.