MLB PLAYER NEWS

Pirates win bid for Korean SS Kang

The Sports Xchange

December 22, 2014 at 3:15 pm.

The Pittsburgh Pirates won the rights to negotiate with South Korean shortstop Jung-Ho Kang with the high bid of about $5 million.

The bid was accepted by the Nexen Heroes, Kang’s Korean Baseball Organization Club. Pursuant to the United States-Korean Player Contract Agreement, the Pirates have 30 days to sign the 27-year-old Kang to a contract.

The Yonhap News Agency reported that the winning bid was $5,002,015.

Kang hit .354 with 39 homers last season for the Nexen Heroes while being named the MVP of the Korean Baseball Organization.

“The Pirates are pleased to have secured the opportunity to attempt to add Jung Ho Kang to our system and look forward to commencing discussions with the player and his representative in an effort to make that happen,” Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said in a statement.