Kia Tigers sign All-Star outfielder Na Sung-bum to massive free agent deal

▲ New Kia Tigers' outfielder Na Sung-bum (R) shakes hands with the club's general manager, Jang Jung-suk, after signing a six-year free agent contract with the team on Dec. 23, 2021, in this photo provided by the Tigers. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

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Kia Tigers sign All-Star outfielder Na Sung-bum to massive free agent deal

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Dec. 23 (Yonhap) -- The Kia Tigers signed an All-Star outfielder Na Sung-bum to a record-tying free agent contract on Thursday, making a huge splash in a bid to return to South Korean baseball relevance.

The Tigers said Na, 32, agreed to a six-year contract worth up to 15 billion won (US$12.6 million). Na will make 6 billion won in total salary, with a signing bonus of the same amount, and can make up to 3 billion won more in incentives.

The deal is tied for the most lucrative free agent contract in Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) history, matching the four-year, 15 billion deal that infielder Lee Dae-ho signed with the Lotte Giants in 2017 in a return from Major League Baseball (MLB).

Na spent his first nine years in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) with the NC Dinos, the club that drafted him out of Yonsei University in 2011. The slugger quickly established himself as a star for the expansion franchise, hitting 30 home runs and knocking in 101 runs in just his second season in 2014.

He duplicated similar power production this year at age 32, with 33 home runs and 101 RBIs. More importantly, he played all 144 games and handled full-time outfield duties, two years after suffering a devastating knee injury that cost him more than 100 games.

For his career, Na has batted .312/.378/.538 with 212 home runs and 830 RBIs.

Na also sought an opportunity in MLB last offseason but didn't get a deal done during the posting process. If he wanted to pursue a big league deal again this year, Na would have had to be posted, as he was only eligible for free agency in the KBO and not overseas. Instead, he chose to sign a long-term deal with the Tigers that likely ensures he will finish off his career in South Korea.

In Na, the Tigers get an immediate boost to the feeble lineup that ranked last in the KBO with 66 home runs and 568 runs scored in 144 games this year. After winning the Korean Series in 2017, the Tigers have missed the postseason in each of the past two seasons.

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