This photo shows the Korea Baseball Organization club’s new outfielder, Brian O’Grady. (the Hanwha Eagles)
The South Korean baseball club Hanwha Eagles announced their signing of former major league outfielder Brian O’Grady on Wednesday.
The Korea Baseball Organization team said O’Grady, 30, agreed to a one-year deal worth a maximum of $900,000, with a guaranteed salary of $700,000 and an incentive of up to $200,000.
This transaction completes foreign player signings for the Eagles, who had earlier re-signed pitcher Felix Pena and newly acquired pitcher Burch Smith.
KBO teams can each sign up to three foreign players, but no more than two pitchers.
O’Grady and Smith were teammates on the Seibu Lions in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball in 2022, with O’Grady batting .213/.312/.384 with 15 home runs and 46 RBIs in 123 games.
O’Grady, who throws right and bats left, was an eighth-round draft pick by the Cincinnati Reds in 2014 and made his big league debut with the Reds five years later. He also went on to play for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2020 and then the San Diego Padres in 2021.
In 62 career major league games, O’Grady hit .184/.283/.388 with four home runs and 12 RBIs.
The Eagles said they like O’Grady’s power at the plate and his character off the field. (Yonhap)
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