KIA Tigers signed a multi-year contract with catcher Kim Tae-gun (34) on the 16th.

KIA held multi-year contract negotiations with Taegun Kim at the Gwangju-Kia Champions Field on the afternoon of the 16th and signed a contract worth a total of 2.5 billion won, including an annual salary of 2 billion won and an option of 500 million won for a three-year contract period.

After signing the contract, Kim Tae-gun said, “I am sincerely grateful to the KIA Tigers team for needing me. I would also like to thank the KIA Tigers fans who gave me great support despite joining in the middle of the season.” .

He continued, “I feel a great sense of responsibility as a senior player, and I will do my best to play my role and work together with my fellow players to be of great help to KIA.” He added, “I hope to become a player who repays the fans with good results as they have shown a lot of support.” “I will try my best,” he pledged.

Taegun Kim graduated from Busan High School and joined the LG Twins as the 17th pick in the 2nd 3rd round in 2008. Kim Tae-gun, who played as a catcher with good defense, moved to the new team NC Dinos in 2013 and led the team. After finishing the 2019 season, he became the first free agent, and there were rumors of a transfer to Lotte, which needed a catcher, but he ended up staying in NC. He signed a four-year contract worth a total of 1.3 billion won (including 400 million won in incentives).

Moved to Samsung after the 2021 season. NC acquired pitcher Shim Chang-min and catcher Kim Eung-min and lost Kim Tae-goon. Kim Tae-gun, who served as Yang Eui-ji’s backup catcher at NC, came to Samsung and served as Kang Min-ho’s backup catcher.

He returned to KIA this season and established himself as the starting catcher. KIA, which lost Park Dong-won, whom it had acquired in a trade last year, to LG in the free agent market, eventually made a one-to-one trade with infielder Ryu Ji-hyuk in July during the season due to a catcher shortage.

Taegun Kim becomes his second free agent after finishing this season. KIA fans hoped to tie Kim Tae-gun to a multi-year contract out of concern that even Kim Tae-gun might be lost as a free agent like Park Dong-won last year, and KIA also wanted Kim Tae-gun to accompany him for stable team management.

Kim Tae-gun’s season performance as of the 15th is a batting average of .257 (78 hits in 303 at-bats), 1 home run, and 40 RBI. His career batting average is .248, 25 home runs, and 301 RBIs. Although his batting is not that good, he shows top-class blocking, throwing, and framing in terms of defense, so he is considered suitable for KIA, which has many young pitchers who need to grow. His career stealing percentage is also good at .294.메이저사이트

Tae-gun Kim hit the jackpot at his second free agency opportunity. In his first free agency, the guaranteed amount for 4 years was only 900 million won, but this time, the guaranteed amount for 3 years is as much as 2 billion won.

Now, KIA has erased the ‘catcher risk’ due to the multi-year contract with Taegun Kim. He can now look forward to a stable mound.