The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed infielder Jung Ho Kang (pronounced “GAHNG”) to a four-year, $11 million deal with a $5.5 million club option for the 2019 season.
The 27-year-old Kang hit .356 (149-for-418) with 36 doubles, 40 home runs and 117 RBI in 117 games with the Nexen Heroes of the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) in 2014. He led the league in slugging percentage (.739) and OPS (1.198) while ranking second in on-base percentage (.459), home runs and total bases (309).
“First I want to thank the Nexen Heroes for allowing me the challenge of competing at a Major League level,” said Kang. “I’m very excited and humbled by this opportunity. I look forward to joining a great group of teammates and I am ready to work hard to help the Pirates win any way that I can.”
Kang spent the 2014 season at shortstop (113 games) for the Heroes while making a total of 890 appearances over his nine-year career. He has also made appearances at third base (35), second base (32), catcher (8) and first base (3).
During an interview with the media Friday morning, Pirates General Manager Neal Huntington told the Post-Gazette’s Bill Brink and others that the team intends on bringing Kang north with the team once spring training ends.
#Pirates GM Neal Huntington: “We have zero intent to send [Kang] to the minor leagues.”
— Bill Brink (@BrinkPG) January 16, 2015
Kang sets sights on Jordy Mercer’s starting spot at short
Kang spoke with the Korean media prior to boarding his flight to Pittsburgh and told Jeeho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency that he can outplay Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer for the starting job.
One thing Kang did say: he’s confident he can outplay Jordy Mercer if given consistent opportunities to play; and he’d like to play SS
— Jeeho Yoo (@Jeeho_1) January 14, 2015
Huntington believes the comments are simply Kang explaining he’s comfortable playing in the Majors.
NH on Kang’s Mercer quotes: “It might not even have been the translation. He is confident. He does believe he can start at the ML level.”
— Bill Brink (@BrinkPG) January 16, 2015
While Kang’s monster numbers in the KBO (Korean Baseball Organization) ranked at the top of every major batting category, he played in more of an offensive league. Those numbers won’t translate the same in the MLB, but they could still make a large impact.
Kang’s defense is what could keep him from everyday duties as scouts have said he needs work on some of the basics. It’s a problem that can be easily fixed, but the shortstop position is Mercer’s to lose.
Mercer — who was voted as MLB Network’s sixth-best shortstop right now — established himself as the Pirates starting shortstop last season after taking the reigns from Clint Barmes.
Mercer posted a .982 fielding percentage in 2014 which ranked fourth in the National League while putting up a .255/.305/.387 slash line with a .693 OPS, 12 home runs, 27 doubles, two triples and 55 RBI in 149 games.
Once spring training arrives, there will be competition for the spot at short. However, that isn’t a bad thing as the competition should have both prepared by the time opening day rolls around on April 6th.
Hey, maybe even one day they will be double play partners.
Information provided by the Pittsburgh Pirates media relations dept.
(Photo Credit: Pittsburgh Pirates)
