LG Twins bring back slugger Dean on record contract for foreign hitter
Austin Dean of the LG Twins celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Hanwha Eagles during the clubs' Korea Baseball Organization regular-season game at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark, Sept. 27. Yonhap
The LG Twins announced Thursday they will bring back their American slugger Austin Dean on the most lucrative deal for a foreign hitter in South Korean baseball history.
The Twins said Dean will be back for his fifth season in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) on a new one-year deal worth $2 million.
The previous record for the biggest annual salary for a foreign hitter had been $1.8 million, set by both former KT Wiz outfielder Mel Rojas Jr. and SSG Landers outfielder Guillermo Heredia in 2025.
Former Doosan Bears pitcher Dustin Nippert holds the mark for the largest annual salary for a foreign player, with the $2.1 million he made in 2017.
In 2026, Dean played all 144 games and set a franchise record with 41 home runs, finishing third overall in the league in that category. He led the KBO in on-base plus slugging with 1.062 while finishing third with 127 RBIs and 180 hits, and fourth with a .331 batting average.
He has been among the most productive hitters since first joining the Twins in 2023. He won the Golden Glove at first base in 2023 and 2024. Also in 2024, Dean led the KBO with 132 RBIs and earned the KBO Fielding Award at first base.
Since 2023, Dean leads all KBO players with 127 home runs and 449 RBIs.