Seoul: The SSG Landers announced their signing of ex-major league pitcher Drew VerHagen on Saturday, just as their former staff ace Drew Anderson reportedly went back to the big leagues.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Landers confirmed that VerHagen, 35, agreed to a one-year deal worth up to US$900,000, comprising $750,000 in salary, a $50,000 signing bonus, and $100,000 in incentives. VerHagen, a right-handed pitcher, made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the Detroit Tigers, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2012 MLB draft. He remained with the Tigers until 2019 before moving to Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) to play for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters from 2020 to 2021.
After returning to the United States to pitch for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2022 and 2023, VerHagen had a second stint with the Fighters over the past two seasons. In his MLB career, VerHagen has appeared in 206 games, including eight starts, achieving an 18-12 record with a 4.98 ERA, 234 strikeouts, and 115 walks in 281 2/3 innings. His role in Triple-A saw him start 56 of his 76 outings, resulting in a 20-20 record with a 3.98 ERA, alongside 258 strikeouts and 103 walks in 323 1/3 innings.
In NPB, across four seasons, VerHagen recorded an 18-19 record with a 3.68 ERA, 278 strikeouts, and 78 walks in 283 1/3 frames. In 2025, he played more games for the Fighter's minor league team (15) than their NPB club (six), finishing 3-3 with a 6.08 ERA in those NPB games.
The Landers expressed confidence in VerHagen's abilities, noting his aggressive style and capability to overpower hitters with a fastball that can reach 155 kph, complemented by four quality secondary pitches. "We like his ability to command his pitches and pound the strike zone with precision," the Landers stated. "He has the poise to work his way out of trouble, and that's a huge asset. Given his substantial MLB and NPB experience, we expect him to eat up a ton of innings in our starting rotation."
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) allows teams to sign a maximum of two foreign-born pitchers, and starting in 2026, an additional pitcher from an Asian country or Australia. The Landers previously signed Japanese pitcher Shota Takeda as their Asian quota player in November. VerHagen essentially replaces Anderson, who has reportedly signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Tigers, pending a physical.
Anderson, 31, was a standout during his two seasons in the KBO, joining the Landers in the middle of the 2024 campaign. He recorded a combined ERA of 2.91 over 287 1/3 innings with a 23-10 record and 403 strikeouts, the highest in the KBO over that period. In 2025, he finished second in the KBO with 245 strikeouts, a record surpassed only by Cody Ponce of the Eagles, who recently signed with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Before joining the KBO, Anderson was with the Tigers in spring training in 2024, pitching in Triple-A before transitioning to the league. His career also includes two years with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in the NPB and 19 MLB games from 2017 to 2021 with the Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers, and Chicago White Sox, with a brief stint in Australia.
The other foreign-born pitcher for the Landers in 2025 was half-Korean right-hander Mitch White, who achieved an 11-4 record with a 2.87 ERA in 24 starts.