S. Korean pitcher Yang Hyeon-jong to leave for Rangers' camp Saturday

유지호 / 2021-02-19 17:16:12

pitcher-MLB

▲ Yang Hyeong-jong of the Texas Rangers plays catch at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field, home of his former South Korean club Kia Tigers, in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on Feb. 15, 2021. (Yonhap)

▲ Yang Hyeong-jong of the Texas Rangers prepares to train at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field, home of his former South Korean club Kia Tigers, in Gwangju, 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on Feb. 15, 2021. (Yonhap)

pitcher-MLB

S. Korean pitcher Yang Hyeon-jong to leave for Rangers' camp Saturday

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Feb. 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korean pitcher Yang Hyeon-jong, having been invited to Texas Rangers' spring training on a minor league contract, will leave for the United States on Saturday.

Yang's agency in Seoul said Friday the pitcher's work permit has been issued and he'll board a Los Angeles-bound flight on Saturday. The Rangers set up camp in Surprise, Arizona, earlier this week, with pitchers and catchers arriving first for workouts. Position players will join them next week.

Yang agreed to a one-year deal that will pay him US$1.3 million if he pitches in the majors for the whole season, with another $550,000 available in performance-based incentives.

The 32-year-old left-hander is expected to battle for a spot in the Rangers' starting rotation with a handful of others.

Yang has spent his entire 14-year professional career with the Kia Tigers of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO). He won both the regular season MVP and the Korean Series MVP awards in 2017.

As a free agent this winter, Yang turned down a multiyear extension offer from the Tigers to pursue his dream of pitching in the big leagues.

Once in the U.S., Yang will have to quarantine for five days before reporting to camp.

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