Daegu: The Samsung Lions announced Sunday they have retained their own free agent catcher Kang Min-ho with a two-year contract. The Lions said the 40-year-old backstop will earn 300 million won (US$207,610) in annual salary in each of the next two seasons and can make another 200 million won annually in incentives. Kang took a signing bonus of 1 billion won up front.

According to Yonhap News Agency, this contract makes Kang the first player in Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) history to sign four deals in free agency. Kang made his KBO debut with the Lotte Giants in 2004 and hit the open market for the first time in 2014. He stayed with the Giants then on a four-year deal, but when he became a free agent again in 2017, Kang joined the Lions on a four-year contract.

In December 2021, Kang signed another four-year deal with the Lions. The career leader in games played with 2,496, Kang had a productive age-40 season in 2025. He batted .269 with 12 home runs and 71 RBIs-his 16th consecutive season with at least 10 homers-and provided his typically steady presence behind the plate for his pitching staff.

"With this deal, I will get to play 10 seasons with the Samsung Lions and I want to help build a dynasty here over the next two years," Kang said. "It means a lot to me to sign my fourth free agent deal."