Korean star pitcher Yoon could be in MLB in 2012

By Park Sae-jin Posted : November 14, 2011, 12:54 Updated : November 14, 2011, 12:54
South Korean baseball star, Suk-Min Yoon, could play in the major leagues as soon as net season, his agent said. The right-hander was the 2011 MVP of the Korean Baseball Organization.

Scott Boras, the recently agent by Yoon, said he would speak with him in the future about entering the posting system. This system is where major league teams bid to win negotiating rights with a player.

If Yoon choosesainst posting, he would become a free agent next season. Even with a handful a solid major league player has been produced in Korea including outfielder Shin-Soo Choo and former pitcher, Chan Ho Park, Yoon will be the first one to be posted due to all of them signing with teens as teenagers.

The 6-foot, 180-pound Yoo dominated the KBO this season with a fastball that sits 93 mph and a hard slider and anabove average changeup. He had 178 strikeouts and posted a 2.45 ERA for the Kia Tigers in his 172 innings he has payed. Yoon could be one of many Asian players next season.

Among those from Japan who could be posted: top-flight starter Yu Darvish, starter Wei-Ying Chen (a Taiwanese left-hander), outfielder Norichika Aoki and shortstop Hiroyuki Nakajima.

Right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma, on whom Oakland bid $19.1 million last season but was unable to sign, will be a free agent, as will left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada.

Yoon could be with the 6-foot-3, 210- pound Ryu if he arrives next season. Ryu 17 in a game last year and won the gold-medal game of the 2008 Olympics.

Following a dominant 2010 in which he had a 1.82 ERA in 192 2/3 innings, Ryu put up a 3.36 ERA over 126 innings this season.

(아주경제 송지영 기자)

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