The Stove League curtain rose as the list of free agent (FA) qualification players was released.
According to the 안전놀이터 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) on the 3rd, a total of 30 FA players will be qualified in 2025, including ▲A grade 3, ▲B grade 15, ▲C grade 12.
Among them, 13 players qualified for the first time as FA, nine re-qualified players, and eight players who have already qualified as FA but have maintained their qualifications without applying for FA approval.
Clubs that want to recruit A-level players must pay one compensation player (other than 20 protected players) and 200% of the previous year’s annual salary or 300% of the previous year’s annual salary to the original team.
To recruit a Grade B player, a compensation player (25 protected players) and 100 percent of the previous year’s salary or 200 percent of the previous year’s salary must be paid to the original team. In case of recruiting a Grade C player, a contract is made by giving 150 percent of the previous year’s salary without a compensation player.
LG Twins pitcher Choi Won-tae and Lotte pitcher Kim Won-joong and Koo Seung-min were classified as A-level players this year. Grade B includes KT Wiz pitcher Um Sang-baek and infielder Shim Woo-joon.
For Grade C, Choi Jeong of SSG Landers, who holds the record for the most home runs in the KBO, is included. Choi signed two free agent contracts, stayed at SSG in 2014 and 2018, and earned his third free agent status this time. The club is committed to securing Choi Jeong again this time.
KT has the largest number of FA by club with five, and NC Dinos with four. KIA Tigers, Doosan Bears, SSG, Lotte Giants, Hanwha Eagles, and Kiwoom Heroes each had three, Samsung Lions two, and LG one.
In addition, KBO also announced a list of 11 FA contract holders who have newly acquired or re-acquired FA qualifications by invoking the option to extend the contract period among non-FA multi-year contractors and existing FA players, but whose contract period has not ended this year.
On this list were ▲KIA Kim Tae-gun and Choi Hyung-woo ▲ Samsung Koo Ja-wook ▲ LG Kim Hyun-soo ▲ Doosan Jung Soo-bin ▲ KT Ko Young-pyo ▲ SSG Kim Sung-hyun, Moon Seung-won, Park Jong-hoon, and Han Yu-sum ▲ Lotte Park Se-woong.
