jasdooit

A professional baseball team, KIA, announced on the 26th that it has selected pitcher Hong Mingyu (19) as the compensation player for Park Chanho, who signed a free agent (FA) contract with Doosan. Park, who was with KIA until this season, signed a four-year deal worth 8 billion Korean won with Doosan on the 18th. KIA had the right to choose a compensation player from Doosan’s roster, excluding 20 protected players. The team will also receive 900 million Korean won in compensation, which is 200% of Park’s annual salary of 450 million Korean won.

Hong, a right-handed pitcher, graduated from Yatap High School and was selected by Doosan in the third round (26th overall) of the 2025 rookie draft. In his first season as a rookie, he achieved a solid 2-1 win-loss record along with one save and a 4.59 ERA in 20 games. His primary pitches include a fastball that can reach 149 km/h and a changeup that drops significantly. At the 2025 Asian Baseball Championship held in China last September, he played in three games, finishing with a 2-0 record, six strikeouts, and a flawless 0.00 ERA.

A representative from KIA mentioned, “Despite being a newcomer who started this season, he has demonstrated strong performance and has outstanding control. We anticipate him becoming a key player in the future.”