SEOUL – South Korean baseball player Park Hoy-jun has inked a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics, providing an opportunity to continue his career in the United States. As per the Athletics' website, Park signed the deal on November 20 and was immediately assigned to the team's Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas Aviators. Park, 27, became a free agent earlier this month after playing the entire 2023 season with the Gwinnett Stripers, a Triple-A club of the Atlanta Braves. During his tenure there, Park demonstrated his versatility, playing at second base, third base, and right field, while batting .262/.385/.379 with six home runs, 42 RBIs, and 16 steals in 101 games.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Park's journey in the U.S. began when he signed with the New York Yankees straight from a Korean high school in 2014, making his MLB debut with them in July 2021. He was later traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he appeared in 23 big league games in 2022 but primarily played in the minors. His performance last year included a .216/.276/.373 batting line with two home runs and six RBIs. Park played multiple infield positions and right field during his time with the Pirates. After being traded to the Boston Red Sox and then to the Atlanta Braves, Park did not receive a major league callup in 2023. With his new deal with the Athletics, Park aims to make it back to the major leagues in 2024.