South Korean outfielder Kim Hyun-soo finalized a two-year Major League Baseball contract worth $7 million with the Baltimore Orioles.
The 27-year-old left-handed hitter will make $3.5 million a season after hitting .318 over 10 seasons with the Doosan Bears of the Korea Baseball Organization.
Kim established career highs of 28 home runs and 121 runs batted in while walking 101 times over 141 games last season.
“I was very eager to come to MLB,” Kim said through a translator on Wednesday. “I’m so (happy) I could cry.”
Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette said he expects Kim to play left field and possibly at first base and he likes how Kim’s talents fit into the Orioles’ home ballpark, Camden Yards.
“He has had over a .400 on-base percentage a couple of times in Korea and he’s led his league and he’s also led the league in batting and won the Gold Glove (for best fielder) a couple of times in Korea,” he said.
“All those skills are going to be very helpful in this ballpark, but the best thing that I’ve seen him do is he hits the ball the other way. He waits on the ball and he hits down on the fastball and that should translate to a lot of home runs at this ballpark.
“He runs fine, he throws fine and he has good instincts. Beyond that, he’s a very good teammate. He’s well regarded by the players on his team, and I think he’ll fit in good with our ballclub. He’s got a nice disposition, he’s ready to go to work every day and he’s very serious about his hitting.”