*This content was translated by AI.
Right-hander Connor Seabold (30), who was in charge of the Samsung Lions' mound in the 2024 season, will try again in the Major League. The destination is Ryu Hyun-jin (38, Hanwha Eagles)' former team and is the Toronto Blue Jays familiar to domestic fans. Compared to "Hanwha native" Cody Ponce (32), who signed a Major League guarantee contract with Toronto earlier, his status is expected to be different from heaven.
According to player Lee Dong-ran on the official minor league website on the 25th (Korea Standard Time), Connor signed a minor league contract with Toronto. The invitation to the Major League spring camp was not revealed. First of all, Connor was immediately transferred to the Buffalo Bisons, a Triple-A club under Toronto.
Connor is well known to domestic baseball fans as the first starter for Samsung in the 2024 season. In the 2024 season, Connor played 28 regular league games in Samsung's uniform, recording 11 wins, 6 losses and a 3.43 ERA. In particular, it was evaluated that he had an overwhelming ball power at the top of the league, with 158 strikeouts. However, due to a back-to-back injury that occurred at the end of the season, he never made the mound in autumn baseball. In the end, Connor failed to renew his contract with Samsung, and Ariel Furado (30) filled the vacancy.
Connor signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays ahead of the 2025 season and succeeded in taking the mound in the Major League in May. However, he was immediately notified of his move to the Minor League and transferred to the Atlanta Braves through a waivers claim. Connor, who spent more time in the minor leagues than in the major leagues, played seven major league games in the 2025 season and recorded a 4.35 ERA without losing or losing. All seven times, he played as a bullpen, not a starter. Connor, who became an FA (Free Agent) again, headed to Toronto.
Connor's joining in Toronto completed an interesting picture. This is because Cody Ponce, the best starting pitcher in the KBO league in the 2025 season, will play together in Toronto, where he signed.
The problem is the difference between the two players' contract terms and their position in the club. Ponce, who has already signed a three-year, $30 million (about 43.6 billion won), has already signed a stable contract that is likely to enter the major league roster with some recognition from the club, while Connor has to prove his value from the beginning as a minor league player.
Although the players have different starting points, it is a pleasant sight to see for Korean baseball fans. This is because even left-hander Eric Lauer (31) from the KIA Tigers is a member of Toronto, so it is unusual for pitchers from popular KBO league clubs such as Hanwha, Samsung and KIA to take the big league mound in one team.
Among them, the corner is expected to start from the bottom. Attention is also focusing on whether Connor will be able to stand on the mound of Toronto's Rogers Center, overturning the harsh evaluation of the difference between "sky and land."
<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>
*This content was translated by AI.
