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[이데일리 스타in 이석무 기자] Yang Hyeon-jong (33)’s advance into the US professional baseball major league is gradually becoming visible.
KBO said on the 8th that “the major league secretariat requested an identification check on Yang Hyeon-jong on the 5th,” and “notified that he is currently a free agent (FA).”
Status check refers to a preliminary work in which overseas clubs such as the United States and Japan ask if they are eligible for a contract before entering into negotiations with a domestic professional baseball player. In order for overseas clubs and players to make official contact, a status check process is essential.
Yang Hyeon-jong, who obtained free agency qualification after finishing last season, officially declared his advance to the US major leagues. In the meantime, he had adhered to the major league guarantee contract, which included the right to veto minor leagues, but the team he wanted did not come out. However, recently, when Yang Hyun-jong lowered the condition that he would accept the’Sprit contract’, several teams began to show interest in earnest.
In fact, on the 2nd, the US sports media’Fansided’ said, “The Pittsburgh Pirates, who are looking for a candidate for starting pitching, could recruit Hyunjong Yang.” An official from Yang Hyun-jong also said, “There are large and small talks under water with various clubs including Pittsburgh.”
Although there are obstacles that he is in his mid-30s and has not been verified in the big leagues, Hyunjong Yang is certainly an attractive pitcher. Considering the cases where Ryu Hyun-jin and Kim Gwang-hyun have already succeeded in the big leagues, there is enough potential for Yang Hyun-jong, the same level as them.
In the KBO League, it has been consistent enough to record more than 170 innings with more than 10 wins for 7 consecutive years since 2014. It doesn’t have an overwhelming position in terms of big league standards, but it’s well equipped.
Just because an identity check request is received does not mean that overseas expansion will be unconditionally carried out. Still, it must be a positive sign for Yang Hyeon-jong, who has put everything behind the negotiations with the KIA Tigers, the original team, to advance into the US.