Kiwoom Heroes took the last opportunity to reinforce their strength before the start of spring camp, leaving behind the regret of leaving their franchise star.
Kiwoom received unexpected news on the afternoon of the 17th. The transfer of Han Hyun-hee was not expected at all until the official press release that internal free agent Han Hyun-hee signed a contract with the Lotte Giants for a total of 4 billion won with a contract period of 3+1 years.
Ko Hyeong-wook, general manager of Kiwoom, also said in a phone call with ‘Xports News’, “I hadn’t heard anything about Han Hyun-hee’s contract before Lotte announced it. We also learned about it through the media.” Since I went to Lotte under the condition, I think I should let her go with a light heart.”
After graduating from Gyeongnam High School and joining Kiwoom with the 2nd overall pick in the 1st round of the 2012 rookie draft, Han Hyun-hee has always been at the center of the Hero Corps mound. He won the title of king of hold for two consecutive years in the 2013-2014 season and made a name for himself as a sidearm fastball pitcher representing the KBO League. 온라인바카라
However, his performance in the FA qualification season was a problem. Han Hyun-hee left a record that fell short of expectations with an average ERA of 4.75 in 21 games last year. Despite his rich fall baseball experience, he was unable to make it to the playoffs or the Korean Series.
He naturally did not make much progress in free agency negotiations with his original team, Kiwoom. Since Han Hyun-hee was a FA grade A with a large compensation scale, it seemed difficult for the transfer to other clubs to proceed smoothly.
However, instead of reducing the guaranteed amount, Lotte made a concession to declare an opt-out after the end of the 2025 season when the option was achieved, and Han Hyun-hee’s trip to Lotte rode a rapid stream. It is known that Lotte did not consider bringing in Han Hyun-hee through a sign-and-trade method from the beginning.
However, Lotte still has concerns about the compensation players. As compensation for Han Hyun-hee’s transfer to Lotte, Kiwoom paid 200% of Han’s 2022 season salary (500 million won), 20 protected players and one compensation player, and 300% of Han Hyun-hee’s 2022 season salary (750 million won). You can choose.
Kiwoom, which has a clear ‘win-now’ stance, is unlikely to choose only compensation. Kiwoom clearly expressed its will to challenge the presidency in 2023 by bringing in veteran bullpen pitcher Won Jong-hyun and outfielder Lee Hyeong-jong, whose long hitting power was verified, in this Stove League. This is because if Lee Jung-hoo, the leading batter, announces that he will advance to the major leagues next season, he cannot promise when he will be able to look at ‘V1’ again if he does not achieve his dream of winning this year.
After Kiwoom Han Hyeon-hee decided to go to Lotte, he started discussing the strategy for nominating compensation players. After receiving the list from Lotte, he is in a position to make the choice that will be most helpful to the team’s strength.
Head coach Koh explained, “(Han Hyeon-hee’s transfer) is a sudden event, but it is important to prepare well for the upcoming season.”