Seoul:The NC Dinos have announced the signing of veteran outfielder Son Ah-seop, bringing him back on a one-year contract. This move comes just days after the 38-year-old was released by another team.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Son agreed to a contract worth 50 million won (approximately US$37,550), which is half of his earnings from this season while he played for the Hanwha Eagles and the Doosan Bears.
Son Ah-seop is a notable figure in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), ranking third on the all-time hits list with 2,655 hits. His career includes a long stint with the Lotte Giants from 2007 to 2021, followed by a move to the Dinos as a free agent in 2022. However, Son's journey continued as he was traded to the Hanwha Eagles in July 2025 and then to the Doosan Bears later that year. He played 54 games this year, batting .236, marking his lowest performance since 2009. Despite this, the Dinos see potential in Son and have decided to extend his career.
Dinos General Manager Lim Sun-nam expressed confidence in Son's ability to add diversity to a lineup that predominantly features right-handed bats. Lim also emphasized Son's potential positive influence in the clubhouse, given his extensive experience and knowledge.
Son is expected to join the NC Dinos for offseason training in January. He currently trails Choi Hyoung-woo of the Samsung Lions and Kim Hyun-soo of the KT Wiz on the KBO's all-time hits list. Son became the first player to surpass the previous hits record held by Park Yong-taik in June 2024, but was overtaken by Choi in May and Kim in August of the current season.