KBO All-Star Song Sung-mun signs with San Diego Padres: reports
Song Sung-mun of the Kiwoom Heroes poses with the Player of the Year trophy at the Real Glove Award ceremony at the Grand Walkerhill Seoul hotel, Dec. 1. Yonhap
Korean star Song Sung-mun has reportedly signed his first major league contract with the San Diego Padres.
Citing sources, multiple reports out of the United States, Friday (local time), claimed Song had agreed to a deal with the Padres, who had not yet confirmed the transaction as of this writing.
Song, having played for the Kiwoom Heroes in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) since 2015, was posted in November, making himself available for all 30 Major League Baseball (MLB) clubs during a 30-day negotiating period. That window was set to close at 5 p.m. (Eastern Time), Sunday, and Song traveled to the U.S., Friday afternoon (KST), to apparently finalize his move.
If the deal is finalized, Song will become the sixth Heroes player to move to the MLB, following Kang Jung-ho (Pittsburgh Pirates), Park Byung-ho (Minnesota Twins), Kim Ha-seong (San Diego Padres), Lee Jung-hoo (San Francisco Giants) and Kim Hye-seong (Los Angeles Dodgers). Song will also be the third South Korean player in the National League West, joining Lee and Kim Hye-seong.
Song is represented by ISE Baseball, the same American agency that sent Kim Ha-seong to San Diego when they worked together prior to the 2021 season.
Song, 29, is a late-blooming All-Star who had his first breakout campaign in 2024, when he batted .340/.409/.518 and set career highs with 19 homers, 104 RBIs and 21 steals.
This year, Song overcame a slow start to finish with a .315/.387/.530 line, 26 home runs, 90 RBIs and 25 steals. He also earned his first Golden Glove award at third base as the best overall player at his position and picked up his first KBO Fielding Award at the hot corner. He ranked second in the KBO with 6.84 wins above replacement.
Song, who bats left and throws right, is primarily a third baseman but has also spent time at second and first bases. He also played shortstop in high school and has said he could handle shortstop duties if asked in the MLB.
KBO clubs receive a "release fee" if they lose a player to MLB through posting, and the amount will depend on the guaranteed portion of the player's contract.
The release fee is 20 percent of the first $25 million and 17.5 percent of the amount exceeding the next $25 million. For instance, if a player signs for over $50 million, then his former KBO team will receive 20 percent of the first $25 million ($5 million) and 17.5 percent of the next $25 million ($4,375,000), plus 15 percent of the amount exceeding $50 million.