The 2025 Korean professional baseball free agent (FA) market has lost its initial vigor and has entered a lull. Among the 12 players currently remaining in the free agent market, the player receiving the most attention is KBO League starting pitcher Choi Won-tae (27). With 8 out of 20 players signing contracts in the free agent market, Choi Won-tae is receiving a lot of attention due to his past achievements and future potential.
With the free agent market quiet for the past 10 days, the most recent contract news was that the LG Twins signed right-handed bullpen Jang Hyun-sik of the KIA Tigers for a total of 5.2 billion won over 4 years (down payment of 1.6 billion won, annual salary of 3.6 billion won). One club official diagnosed the current market situation by explaining, “This means that competitive free agent players have completed their contracts.”
Choi Jeong-eun, one of the players who attracted the most attention in this free agency market, signed a four-year contract with SSG Landers worth 11 billion won. This contract was concluded without any major upsets in a situation where Choi Jeong was likely to remain. The team that showed the most activity in the early days of free agency was the Hanwha Eagles. After signing infielder Shim Woo-jun for up to 5 billion won for four years, Hanwha also signed pitcher Eom Sang-baek for a four-year contract worth up to 7.8 billion won. Hanwha attracted attention by securing two external free agents that could be recruited in this free agent market.
KT Wiz signed Doosan Bears’ starting third baseman Heo Gyeong-min to a four-year contract worth up to 4 billion won, and veteran pitcher Woo Gyu-min signed a two-year contract worth a total of 700 million won to remain on the team. The Lotte Giants also succeeded in internal crackdown by signing closing pitcher Kim Won-joong to a four-year contract worth 5.4 billion won.
Among the players currently remaining in the free agent market, Choi Won-tae is receiving particular attention. Born in 1997, he is the youngest ever KBO League free agent pitcher, and has appeared in 217 games so far this year, recording 78 wins, 58 losses, and an average ERA of 4.36. He is considered an attractive card for teams that need to reinforce their native starting lineup, but the problem is that his original team, LG, is not active in his retention. LG general manager Cha Myeong-seok said, “If Choi Won-tae wants the same amount of money as Eom Sang-baek, it is not easy to sign a contract to remain.”
Choi Won-tae is a grade A free agent, and the club that recruits him must pay 20 protected players, 1 compensated player, and 200% or 300% of the previous year’s annual salary to LG. This means that the recruiting club must provide compensation for a player who can enter the first team, which can be a huge burden in deciding his destination in the free agent market.
In addition to Choi Won-tae, the actions of bullpen pitchers are attracting attention in the free agent market. Several bullpen pitchers are up for sale, including Noh Kyeong-eun (SSG), Lim Ki-young (KIA), Lee Yong-chan, Lim Jeong-ho (NC Dinos), and Kim Kang-ryul (Doosan), who won the holds title (38). SSG is continuing negotiations with Noh Kyung-eun, and Lee Yong-chan is also in contact with NC.
With all clubs emphasizing that they are “cautious about overpaying,” teams that need to reinforce their bullpens are likely to make active moves in the free agent market in the latter half of the year. Choi Won-tae and the bullpen pitchers’ actions are expected to serve as important variables in the future free agent market.
Photo = Provided by Hanwha Eagles / Yonhap News
Choi Dae-young [email protected]
What factors might influence teams to be “cautious about overpaying” in future free agent negotiations, as mentioned in the article?
Here are some interview questions based on the article, organized by theme:
**Theme 1: The State of the 2025 KBO Free Agent Market**
* The article mentions the free agent market entering a lull. Do you agree with this assessment? What factors might be contributing to this slowdown?
* With many free agents still unsigned, what are your predictions for the rest of the FA period? Will we see a surge in signings later?
* Several teams were mentioned as being willing to spend early in the market. Do you think this early activity will influence other teams to make moves, or will teams continue to hold back?
**Theme 2: Focus on Choi Won-tae**
* Choi Won-tae is attracting a lot of attention. What makes him such a valuable asset in this free agent market?
* The article mentions the compensation LG would require for losing Choi Won-tae. How significant is this compensation, and how might it impact the negotiations?
* Considering his age and potential, what kind of contract do you think Choi Won-tae should aim for?
**Theme 3: The Bullpen Market**
* The article highlights several bullpen pitchers still on the market. What are some of the key factors that teams will consider when evaluating these pitchers?
* Given the importance of bullpens in today’s baseball, do you think there will be a bidding war for some of these pitchers?
* How do you think the success of teams that have invested heavily in their bullpens in recent years might influence free agent spending this time around?
**Theme 4: The Future of the FA Market**
* The article notes that “all clubs emphasizing that they are ‘cautious about overpaying’.” How might economic factors and revenue concerns influence future FA negotiations?
*
* Do you anticipate any changes to the FA system in the coming years based on the dynamics we’re seeing in this market?
* What are your thoughts on the balance between player agency and team financial constraints in the free agent process?
Let me know if you want to explore these themes further or focus on specific players or teams!
