The Pittsburgh Pirates have never been big players in the Asian professional market. However, that may change this winter.
South Korean infielder Sung-mun Song has entered MLB's posting season. Teams have until Dec. 21 to sign him.
Song would be a good fit for the Pirates. He is a left-handed hitter whose primary position is third base, and the Pirates have a potential opening at the hot corner after trading Ke'Bryan Hayes to the Cincinnati Reds in July. If the Pirates signed Song, infielder Jared Triolo would likely become the starting shortstop.
The 29-year-old Song hit a career-high 26 home runs, drove in 90 runs, and stole 25 bases this year for the Kiwoom Heroes of the Korean Baseball Organization. Though the Heroes' 47-93 record was the worst in the league, Song had a .315/.387/.530 slash line in 144 games. Oddly enough, the Pirates had the worst record in the National League Central at 71-91.
Song is a lifetime .283/.347/.431 hitter with 80 homers and 51 steals over nine seasons and 824 games. He has also played first base and second base during his career.
The Pirates could use a bat like his after finishing last in MLB in runs scored, home runs and OPS this season.
Scouts have mixed opinions about Song's ceiling in the major leagues. Some believe he can be an everyday player, while others expect him to be a utility-type player.
However, one scout described Song to Roundtable Sports as a left-handed-hitting Jung Ho Kang. The Pirates signed Kang before the 2015 season, and he became the first native-born position player to make the jump from the KBO to MLB.
Kang had a strong first two seasons, hitting .277/.355/.483 with 36 home runs. However, his career then fizzled because of legal issues, alcohol abuse, and injuries.
It is hard to predict what Song's market might look like, but he likely won't sign a huge contract. However, any team signing Song will have to pay a surcharge to Kiwoom.
Under MLB's posting agreement with the KBO, the posting fee would be 20 percent of the first $25 million of a major league contract, including earned bonuses and options. The percentage drops to 17.5 percent of the next $25 million and 15 percent of any amount over $50 million. There would be a supplemental fee of 15 percent of any earned bonuses, salary escalators, and exercised options.