KIA Selects Lotte Right-Handed Pitcher Kim Hyun-soo as FA Compensation Player for An Chi-hong

On the 14th, the KIA Tigers designated Kim Hyun-soo as the compensation player for FA An Chi-hong, who transferred to the Lotte Giants. Photo by Lotte Giants official website

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Seulgi Kim] The KIA Tigers have selected pitching prospect Kim Hyun-soo (20) as the compensation player for free agent (FA) An Chi-hong (30, Lotte Giants).

On the 14th, KIA announced that they chose Kim Hyun-soo (20) from Lotte as the compensation player.

According to KBO regulations, KIA received compensation from Lotte amounting to 200% of An Chi-hong's previous year's salary (500 million KRW), totaling 1 billion KRW, along with the compensation player.

KIA General Manager Kyo Kye-hyun said, "Kim Hyun-soo was a player we had marked around 4th to 5th in the rookie draft, but Lotte had a higher pick," and introduced him as "a character who only knows baseball and really bothers the coaches."

He added, "Recently, his lower body has improved, and if we invest 2 to 3 years, he can fulfill his role as a starting pitcher," and said, "We will refine him well and utilize him as a future starting pitcher."

Kim Hyun-soo graduated from Jangchung High School and was selected by Lotte in the 3rd round of the 2019 rookie draft.

In the 2019 KBO season, he appeared six times on the first-team mound, recording 1 loss and an earned run average of 1.42.

Kim Hyun-soo, who was selected as a national representative for the 2018 Asian Youth Baseball Championship, pitched one scoreless inning against Hong Kong and hit a go-ahead RBI in the final against Taiwan.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.