Seoul:The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) has announced its request for Major League Baseball (MLB) to post South Korean league slugger Roh Si-hwan. This announcement follows the Hanwha Eagles' earlier request for the KBO to post Roh, allowing MLB to notify its 30 teams of his availability.
According to Yonhap News Agency, once a KBO player is posted, any of the 30 MLB clubs can negotiate with the player within a 30-day window. This period starts at 8 a.m. Eastern Time the day after MLB clubs are officially notified and concludes at 5 p.m. ET on the 30th day.
Roh, 25, has been a leading slugger in the KBO over recent years. He was the third overall pick by the Eagles in the 2018 draft, debuting in the KBO the following year. In 2023, he achieved a then-career high of 31 home runs and 101 RBIs in 131 games, finishing as the runner-up in MVP voting. Two years later, Roh hit 32 home runs and matched his career high with 101 RBIs while playing in all 144 games, also stealing a career-high 14 bases. This year, despite a slow start, he recorded 29 home runs and 96 RBIs in 127 games and led South Korea to a gold medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in September.
Since 2023, Roh ranks second in the KBO with 116 home runs and 387 RBIs, and eighth in on-base plus slugging with .863. While primarily a third baseman, he has also played first base.
Roh has signed an 11-year contract worth 30.7 billion won (approximately US$22.9 million), the longest and most lucrative in KBO history, effective from 2027. The Eagles have agreed to post Roh for MLB teams after the 2026 campaign, and if Roh joins MLB, he has a deal to return to the Eagles upon his return to the KBO.
If Roh signs with an MLB club, the team must pay the Eagles a "release fee" based on his contract's guaranteed portion. The fee is 20 percent of the first US$25 million and 17.5 percent of the amount exceeding the next $25 million. Should he sign for over $50 million, the former KBO team will receive 20 percent of the first $25 million and 17.5 percent of the next $25 million, plus 15 percent of any amount exceeding $50 million.
If Roh does not secure a deal within the 30-day period, he may not be posted again until November 1, 2027.