Slugger Park signs $12 mil. deal with Twins

By Nam Hyun-woo

Park Byung-ho

Korean slugger Park Byung-ho, 29, has signed a four-year, $12 million contract with Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Minnesota Twins, the team announced Wednesday.

The Twins will retain a $6.5 million option for 2020 with a $500,000 buyout, according to MLB.com.

Should he make an at bat for the Twins, Park will become the 15th Korean to play in the big league.

Park will receive a salary of $2.75 million in 2016 and 2017 and $3 million in 2018 and 2019. Should the Twins want Park to play for the club in 2020, they will have to pay him $6.5 million.

Though the deal is deemed less lucrative for Park than expected, the Twins’ $12.85 million bid to Park’s former club, the Nexen Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), marked the second highest posting fee for an Asian player, following a $13.12 million from the Seattle Mariners for Japanese outfielder Ichiro Suzuki in 2000.

Park is often compared to his former teammate and compatriot Kang Jung-ho, who landed in the MLB last year.

Kang signed a four-year, $11 million deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Given Kang’s deal with the Pirates, Park’s salary was expected to be higher.

Park reportedly said that he is proud of joining the majors. Some U.S. reports, however, denounced the system, showing that the “signing of Park reinforces the unfairness of the posting system” for players having no leverage entering the majors.

In the 2015 season, Park hit a .343 average, leading the league with 53 homers and 146 RBIs in 140 games. He led the KBO home run and RBI tables for four consecutive seasons and became the first KBO League player to post more than 50 homers in two straight seasons.

MLB.com said Park will live up to his expectations in the big league. “Even if the combination of Major League pitching and target field cut Park’s power numbers in half, he would still qualify as a 20-25 home run hitter,” it said.

As the Twins are shuffling their lineup, Park is expected to get the role of designated hitter (DH).

“I have no problem with being a DH,” Park told MLB.com. “Obviously, I’d prefer to take the field, but I also have to make adjustments to the new environment.”

According to the Twins, Park will hold a news conference on Wednesday (Eastern Standard Time).