*This content was translated by AI.
This is good news for Son Ah-seop (38), who has been in the free agent market but has yet to confirm his clear future. Hanwha Eagles recruited bullpen resources, not outfielders, as FA compensation players.
The Hanwha Eagles named right-hander Yang Soo-ho (20) as a compensation player for Kim Bum-soo (31), who moved to the KIA Tigers on the 29th.
Kim Bum-soo, who wore a Hanwha uniform as the first pick in the 2015 rookie draft, played only in Hanwha for 11 seasons and became an FA and signed a three-year contract with KIA for a total of 2 billion won. There were ups and downs, but last year's performance was amazing. In 73 games, he had only 2-1 with two saves and six holds and an ERA of 2.25.
Hanwha was expected to hold him, but he brought in Kang Baek-ho (up to 10 billion won for four years) and had to spend more money on a significant number of players in salary negotiations last year as he advanced to the Korean Series for the first time in 19 years. On top of that, Kim Bum-soo's transfer to KIA could not be prevented as he is still negotiating a multi-year contract with Noh Si-hwan.
Hanwha previously gave up a must-win group Han Seung-hyuk as Kang Baek-ho's compensation player last year, and Lee Tae-yang left for KIA in the second draft. At once, three key bullpen resources deviated. Naturally, he had no choice but to find a player to help him out of the bullpen.
Yang Soo-ho is from Gongju Middle School and Gonggo High School and is a prospect who received the 35th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2025 rookie draft. He recorded a maximum fastball speed of 153 kilometers and an average of 148 kilometers last year, and is considered to have a good pitching impact.
"Yang Su-ho, a fireballer that we have been interested in and watching since the draft two years ago, appreciated his future growth potential and selected him as a reward player," said Son Hyuk, head of Hanwha. "As the club highly values its growth point, we expect it to grow into a young pitching pitcher along with Kim Seo-hyun and Jung Woo-ju in the future if we improve our complementary points such as physique."
It's good news for Son Ah-seop. Hanwha's competitive balance tax (salary cap) is not available, and other clubs are feeling the burden of 750 million won in compensation, so they have yet to find a team. Sign-and-trade or blank commission of annual salary are considered as solutions, but it is true that this also does not seem easy for practical reasons at present. On top of that, if Hanwha recruited an outfielder, the possibility could have been even lower. It is not very encouraging, but for Son Ah-seop, it is Hanwha's choice that can be considered a relief among the misfortune.
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*This content was translated by AI.
