[Official] 'Guaranteed salary jumps from $1.1 million to $2 million in a huge win!' LG's Austin sets new record for foreign hitter annual salary without a multi-year contract... 5th consecutive season with the team confirmed

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

There was no multi-year contract. Instead, an unprecedented deal awaited him: the highest annual salary in KBO League history for a foreign hitter. LG Twins' "lucky charm" foreign hitter Austin Dean (33) has re-signed on a one-year deal worth $2 million (approximately 2.7 billion won), securing his fifth consecutive season in the pinstripe uniform.

On the 12th, LG officially announced, "We have completed a one-year contract with foreign player Austin Dean for a total of $2 million (annual salary of $2 million)."

The most eye-catching aspect of this deal is the salary. The $2 million figure represents the highest annual salary ever paid to a foreign hitter in KBO League history. He has secured a guaranteed base salary of $2 million, excluding signing bonuses and incentives.

In December last year, ahead of the 2026 season, Austin re-signed for a total package of $1.7 million (signing bonus of $300,000, annual salary of $1.1 million, and incentives of $300,000). This year, with no options included, he will receive an annual salary of $2 million, resulting in a guaranteed salary increase of as much as $900,000.

Rumors of a multi-year contract also circulated. Austin has consistently expressed his desire to stay with LG for the long term. During the 2025 spring training camp, he revealed his satisfaction with life in Korea, stating, "Since coming to LG, I have come to know the joy of baseball. I love wearing the pinstripe uniform. The support from LG fans is wonderful. When I think about my family, the environment here is truly the best."

Ultimately, a one-year contract was signed instead of a multi-year deal, but LG recognized Austin's value by offering him the highest annual salary for a foreign hitter. The reasons are clear when looking at his performance. Since joining LG in 2023, Austin posted a .313 batting average, 23 home runs, and 95 RBIs in 139 games in his first year. In particular, he contributed to LG's first combined championship in 29 years by hitting .350 with one home run and five RBIs against the KT Wiz in the Korea Series.

The following year, he took another step forward. In the 2024 season, he finished with a .319 batting average, 32 home runs, and 132 RBIs to win the RBI championship, and claimed the Golden Glove award for first baseman for the second consecutive year since 2023. Last year, despite being limited to 116 games due to injury, he still recorded 31 home runs and 95 RBIs. He helped LG secure their second combined championship and accepted a frozen total package of $1.7 million when re-signing at the time.

This year, he had his best season personally. He appeared in all 144 regular-season games, recording a .331 batting average (180 hits in 543 at-bats), 41 home runs, 127 RBIs, and 114 runs scored. His on-base percentage was .427, his slugging percentage was .635, and his OPS (on-base plus slugging) was 1.062. He ranked fourth in batting average, third in hits, third in home runs, and third in RBIs, while his OPS led the entire league. His total of 345 bases on balls and hits was also the highest in the league.

In particular, his 41 home runs set a single-season record for the LG franchise. Achieving 30 or more home runs for three consecutive years—following 32 in 2024 and 31 last year—was also a first for the LG franchise. His cumulative stats over four seasons are a .320 batting average, 644 hits, 127 home runs, and 449 RBIs in 539 games.

Austin has now established himself not just as a foreign hitter, but as a player representing the franchise for LG. His love for LG, which is as remarkable as his performance, also drew attention. Austin even earned the nickname "Mr. Jamsil" for his habit of actively looking after his teammates.

For LG, retaining Austin was important to wash away this year's regrets. After winning their fourth combined championship in franchise history last year, LG finished fourth in this year's regular season with a record of 78 wins, one draw, and 65 losses (a .545 winning percentage). Although they defeated the Doosan Bears in the Wild Card round, they suffered three consecutive losses to the KIA Tigers in the Junior Playoffs, failing to win back-to-back Korea Series titles.

Austin said, "First of all, I am happy that I will be with my LG teammates for a fifth year, and I am grateful to the organization for offering such good terms." He added, "Although we ended this season on a regrettable note, the voices of the fans who supported us until the end are still vivid in my mind." He continued, "I look forward to the season that will be played in our new baseball stadium next year. I will strive to become an even better foreign hitter so that I can live up to the love and expectations of the fans in the 2027 season as well."

The LG organization stated, "We are satisfied to continue our journey with Austin, the best foreign hitter in the KBO League, next season." They added, "Since he has shown consistent improvement every year since entering the Korean stage, we expect him to record top-tier league performance again next season."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original