"I can play a player like Dawson." Was it true that President Hu Jie-yeon said, SNS posts are meaningful → Do you join Ulsan Wales

*This content was translated by AI.

Was it not just a passing remark. Will "experienced" come as Ulsan Wales' first foreign player, who will become the first civic team in the KBO Futures League.

Former Kiwoom Heroes outfielder Ronnie Dawson (31) recently posted a picture on his Instagram story. Along with the painting of the whale, Dawson added the words "2026???" and an emoticon.

The exact meaning is unknown because he did not reveal it, but some say that it may mean Ulsan Wales, which originated from whales. Earlier, on the 30th of last month, Ulsan Metropolitan City decided to name the newly established civic baseball team "Ulsan Wales." The name was conceived in that Ulsan has been famous for whales since ancient times.

Dawson has played in the KBO league. Wearing a Kiwoom uniform as a substitute for Edison Russell during the 2023 season, he hit .336 with three home runs, 29 RBIs, 37 runs and an OPS of 0.852 in 57 games in the second half. After successfully renewing the contract, he was playing with a batting average of 0.330 11 home runs, 57 RBIs, 69 runs and an OPS of 0.907 in 95 games in 2024. However, he was out of the season after undergoing cruciate ligament surgery in August, and broke up with Kiwoom after the end of the season.

Dawson is currently able to sign a contract with any team, but KBO league teams did not choose him in the 2026 season. However, there is a good chance of joining hands with Ulsan and Wales.

At the time of the inaugural business agreement ceremony in November last year, Koo Hu-yeon (75), president of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), said, "I'm worried that the Ulsan club is so good that I'll be shocked," adding, "The advantage is that there are not many player restrictions." We need to consult with (existing) clubs, but we are considering more than four foreign players," he said.

Earlier, during the Ulsan-KBO Fall League, Huh also cited foreign players as a factor in strengthening Ulsan Wales' power. He said, "Bring four foreign players, saying they can't pay more than $100,000 (annual salary), and wouldn't it be balanced if they brought them like that?" He said, "If rumors come out, players like Dawson can play here. We need to create such a structure," he said, and coincidentally, Dawson sent a "signal."

Huh's plan was not just for the growth of Ulsan and Wales. "Now, Futures League players continue to play only between domestic players," he said. "We have to deal with big players, but we can't do that," he said. "Even if we do well in the second division, it is difficult to do well in the first division quickly." In addition, if foreign players become good and KBO clubs aim for it, they can earn profits for transfer fees.

Ulsan Wales, which recently appointed Jang Won-jin, a KBO development committee member, as its manager and Kim Dong-jin, a former Lotte Giants operation team leader, as its general manager, are also recruiting players. Ulsan City will receive applications from players who want to join from the 26th of last month to the 5th, and the final successful candidates will be announced on the 15th. It plans to set up a squad of less than 35 players and has offered an annual salary of more than 30 million won.

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*This content was translated by AI.