161 billion people… The third most numerous
Average age 27.1 years old, average annual average 8.1 years
Although the KBO League has become younger, the ransom has also fallen sharply.
According to the status of registration of the 2021 team announced on the 4th of KBO, the average age of 532 players (excluding new and foreign players) from 10 clubs is 27.1, which is younger than last year’s 27.3. As each club’s development stance has accelerated, the average annual leave has also decreased from 8.4 in 2020 to 8.1 this year.
What stands out even more is the average annual salary. The average annual salary this year was 12,273 million won, a whopping 15.1% decrease from 144.48 million won last year. It has been on the decline for two consecutive years since it reached an all-time high of 150.65 million won in 2019. The total annual salary was also 6,290 million won, a decrease of 8.6.84 billion won from last year’s 73.7 billion won. It is analyzed as a phenomenon that emerged as high-paid players such as Park Yong-taek and Kim Tae-gyun retired from the end of last season, and Yang Hyun-jong left for the United States, and the management stance of each club shifted to internal development.
By club, Shinsegae, which acquired SK, recorded the highest average annual salary among 10 clubs with an increase of 20.3% to 172.41 million won from last year’s 14.48.86 million won. The acquisition of free agent (FA) Choi Joo-hwan and Choo Shin-soo, who recorded the highest annual salary of 2.7 billion won, seems to be a factor. In 2020, the integrated championship team NC was followed by 14.98 million won, followed by Doosan with 145.4 million won. Hanwha’s average annual salary was the lowest at 79.94 million won. The only two teams with an average annual salary have risen are Shinsegae and KT (6.7%, KRW 111.1 million) that advanced in the first postseason after the foundation.
With Choo Shin-soo becoming the highest annual salary player, Yang Eui-ji (NC) and Park Byeong-ho (Keewoom) won 1.5 billion won for a joint second, followed by Choi Jeong (Shinsegae, 1.2 billion won) in fourth place, and Oh Seung-hwan (Samsung, 1.1 billion won). He was tied for fifth place and was named the highest-paid pitcher. Lee Jung-hoo (Keewoom), who received 550 million won in five years this year, broke the record for the highest annual salary for three consecutive years. KT Sohn Joon, who received the Rookie of the Year Award, recorded the highest increase this season, with an annual salary increase of 418.5% compared to last year.
The number of players with a billion-year salary was 161, the same as last year, the third highest after 2018 (164) and 2017 (163). Playing coach Song Seung-joon (Lotte) became the oldest player of the season with 40 years, 7 months and 3 days, and Hanwha Jung Min-gyu became the youngest player at 18 years and 22 days.
Reporter Song Yong-joon
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