"Vice presidents and vice directors will visit Korea directly." Park Chan-min → Eom Jun-sang → Ha Hyun-seung? MLB is serious about promising Korean players, with bold investments of 2 billion and 3 billion won — why did this emerge?

*This content was translated by AI.

'Interest from Major League Baseball (MLB) in promising Korean players is at an all-time high.

'It began with Park Chan-min (18), a right-handed ace from Gwangju Il High School, who delivered the best overall pitching and hitting performance in the first half of this year. On the 24th of last month, Park Chan-min reached an agreement with the Philadelphia Phillies of the National League (NL) East Division for an international amateur contract worth $1.205 million (approximately 1.8 billion won).

'The second case was somewhat unexpected. In January this year, Eom Jun-sang (18), an infielder from Deoksu High School, appeared firmly committed to staying in the KBO. Yet, on the 17th, he signed a $1.5 million contract (approximately 2.3 billion won) with the Arizona Diamondbacks of the NL West Division. It is reported that Eom Jun-sang was swayed by Arizona's consistent and compelling vision.

'Following that, Kim Ji-woo (18) from Seoul High School, one of the top three prospects for the 2027 KBO Rookie Draft, declared his intention to stay in Korea on the 22nd. Kim Ji-woo ultimately rejected a $1.5 million offer from the Toronto Blue Jays of the American League (AL) East Division. The most recent news is surprising: Ha Hyun-seung (18) from Busan High School, who had already declared his intention to stay in Korea on the 29th of last month, reportedly received an offer from the New York Yankees of the AL East Division that was higher than the previously known $2.3 million (approximately 3.5 billion won).

'According to StarNews' investigation, this is true. Confirmations from multiple MLB scouts and officials from Busan High School revealed that the Yankees, despite Ha Hyun-seung's declaration to stay in Korea, revised and presented a contract offer of over $2.5 million (approximately 3.8 billion won) immediately after the high school-college all-star game held in Daejeon on the 8th. They did not simply increase the amount but also presented a concrete plan for Ha Hyun-seung's development. Moreover, several MLB teams are still deliberating contracts for one or two candidates for the first round of the KBO draft.

'Why are MLB teams so serious about promising Korean players? The primary reason is the upcoming meeting between the MLB office and the players' union (MLBPA) to negotiate the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in December this year. According to recent reports from major U.S. media outlets such as ESPN, the MLB office has proposed reducing the total amount of international amateur contracts by more than $1.5 million won (approximately 2.3 million won) annually and establishing an international draft for players outside the United States.

'In particular, the proposal includes raising the eligibility age for signing international prospects, including those from Korea, from the current 16 to 18 years old. This aligns with the MLB office's recent initiative to revitalize college baseball. The MLB office cited the low success rate of international contract prospects as evidence that young players who have not yet completed their physical and mental development are entering the professional stage.

'MLB scout A told StarNews in a phone call: "CBA negotiations will take place on December 1 this year. A lockout is also expected, and there are rumors that the international amateur player contract system itself may change starting next year. If that happens, strategies such as borrowing next year's budget for contracts will become meaningless. Therefore, all teams are trying to use up their international contract money this year."

'Of course, some view this as a passing incident. Another MLB scout B stated firmly: "There are talks that the international amateur player contract system will change due to CBA negotiations, but such judgments are premature. Our team is also considering next year and is broadly looking at second and third-year students."

'Even so, the series of bold investments ranging from 2 billion to 3 billion won is indeed surprising. It is reported that this also reflects a business-oriented perspective on the Korean market, where interest has surged rapidly since the COVID-19 pandemic. In January this year, Lee Jung-hoo's (28) team, the San Francisco Giants, spent a week in Korea with their entire marketing team, including CEO Larry Baer, to conduct business meetings with Korean companies.

'In addition to these, several MLB teams have recently dispatched senior executives, including vice presidents and vice directors, directly to Korea to explore possibilities for amateur player contracts and business agreements. The Oakland Athletics, which is on the verge of relocating its home base to Las Vegas in 2028, is a prime example. The Athletics previously pursued the recruitment of several top prospects, including Kim Do-young (23, KIA Tigers) and Park Jun-hyun (20, Kiwoom Heroes).

'Source C, well-versed in MLB affairs, remarked: "I understand that the Athletics is highly interested in recruiting promising Korean players. They are reportedly looking for prospects to start with the opening of their new stadium in 2028. Recently, I saw the vice director visit Korea. It is also said that they are negotiating with Korean investors and offering favorable conditions to help prospects adapt to the United States."

'This year, Korean prospects also have relatively more attractive qualities compared to those from Taiwan and Central/South America. The decline in the number and quality of baseball prospects is not unique to Korea. Another MLB scout D expressed regret, stating: "This year, Korean players have hit the right timing. We are also looking at players from Taiwan and Central/South America, but it is true that there are no suitable candidates."

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*This content was translated by AI.