What pitches does Lyon Richardson throw, and what does SSG Landers value about his pitching style?

Richardson threw a four-seam fastball, changeup, sinker, slider and sweeper in 2026. The Landers said his groundball approach suits Incheon SSG Landers Field, and highlighted the vertical movement on his fastball and his deceptive changeup, which he throws to left- and right-handed batters with the same arm speed as his four-seamer.

How did Lyon Richardson perform in Triple-A during 2026?

Richardson appeared in 40 Triple-A games and pitched 75 innings, finishing 4-4 with a 4.44 ERA. He recorded 79 strikeouts and 39 walks.

What is the KBO limit on foreign pitchers, and how does it affect SSG Landers’ rotation?

KBO clubs may sign up to two foreign pitchers and may also sign one Asian quota player, with most teams filling that quota with a pitcher. Richardson is set to join returning ace Pedro Avila at the top of the Landers’ rotation next season.

SSG Landers sign ex-MLB pitcher Richardson

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Summary

The SSG Landers announced on Thursday that they signed former major league pitcher Lyon Richardson to a one-year contract worth $1 million. The 26-year-old American right-hander will join returning ace Pedro Avila at the top of the Landers’ rotation next season. The team described Richardson as a groundball pitcher suited to its hitter-friendly home, Incheon SSG Landers Field, and cited his fastball movement and changeup deception.

Key Facts

Richardson’s contract includes a $100,000 signing bonus.
He made his MLB debut with the Cincinnati Reds in 2023 and appeared in 41 games for them before being designated for assignment in June this year.
Across his MLB career, Richardson recorded a 6.48 ERA, 47 strikeouts and 40 walks in 58 1/3 innings.
In 40 Triple-A games this year, he went 4-4 with a 4.44 ERA in 75 innings, with 79 strikeouts and 39 walks.
Richardson averaged 96.3 mph with his fastball in 2026 and threw a four-seam fastball, changeup, sinker, slider and sweeper.

By Yonhap

Published Nov 12, 2026 3:23 pm KST

New SSG Landers pitcher Lyon Richardson poses in front of the team's logos after signing a one-year contract with the Korea Baseball Organization club, Thursday. Yonhap

The SSG Landers announced their signing of former major league pitcher Lyon Richardson on Thursday.

The Landers said Richardson, 26, agreed to a one-year contract worth $1 million, which includes a signing bonus of $100,000.

The American right-hander will join the returning ace Pedro Avila at the top of the Landers' rotation next season. Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) clubs are each allowed to sign a maximum two foreign pitchers.

They may also sign one Asian quota player each, with most teams filling that spot with a pitcher.

Richardson was a second-round pick by the Cincinnati Reds at the 2018 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft. He made his MLB debut with the Reds in 2023 and went on to appear in 41 games for them until June this year, when he was designated for assignment and elected free agency. Richardson then signed with the eventual World Series champions Milwaukee Brewers and pitched in one game for them.

Over his MLB career, Richardson had a 6.48 ERA in 58 1/3 innings with 47 strikeouts against 40 walks.

Richardson pitched in 40 games in Triple-A this year, going 4-4 with a 4.44 ERA in 75 innings. He had 79 strikeouts and 39 walks.

The Landers described him as a groundball pitcher who is well suited for their hitter-friendly home, Incheon SSG Landers Field.

According to the statistics website Baseball Savant, Richardson threw five types of pitches in 2026: four-seam fastball, changeup, sinker, slider and sweeper. He averaged 96.3 miles per hour (mph) with his fastball this year, which would have made him the hardest-throwing starting pitcher in the KBO in 2026, just ahead of Avila.

The Landers also said they like the vertical movement on Richardson's fastball and his deception with the changeup, which he throws against both left-handed and right-handed batters with the same arm speed as his four-seamer.

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