Orioles agree to terms with Yoon: Updated
The Baltimore Orioles have agreed to terms with Korean pitcher Suk-min Yoon according to multiple sources. The Orioles have been very quiet this off season but talks with Yoon heated up. Yoon posted a pitcher of himself in an Orioles hat a few days ago which led to speculation that he would sign with the Orioles.
The deal is for three-years 5.75 million and is still pending a physical. The Orioles have been tough when it comes to physicals this off season as Grant Balfour failed his earlier.
I do not know much about Yoon but I do know he was recovering from an injury last season and pitched out of the bullpen. Yoon should at least provide some depth to the Orioles pitching staff.
Here is Brittany Ghiroli’s tweet confirming the deal.
According to a Major Lg source Os agreed to 3 year 5.75 contract w Yoon pending physical
— Brittany Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) February 13, 2014
Here is the Orioles press release on Yoon.
Orioles sign RHP Suk-Min Yoon to a three-year contract
The Orioles today announced that they have signed RHP SUK-MIN YOON (pronounced syuck-min you-n) to a three-year contract. Yoon would become the first Korean-born player in club history, and the 16th in major league history, when he makes his big league debut.
Yoon, 27, has gone 73-59 with a 3.19 ERA (1129.0IP, 400ER) in nine seasons with the KIA Tigers of the Korean Baseball Organization after being selected in the 2nd round of the 2005 draft out of high school. A three-time KBO All-Star (2008, ’09 and ’11), Yoon was named the KBO MVP while also winning the Pitching Triple Crown in 2011 (17 wins, 2.45 ERA and 178 strikeouts in 27 games).
He has finished in the top-10 in KBO in several categories multiple times in his career: ERA (three times; led KBO in 2008 and ’11), strikeouts (four times; KBO leader in 2011), wins (twice; KBO leader in 2011), saves (twice), innings pitched (three times), complete games (five times; KBO leader in 2011) and shutouts (three times; KBO leader in 2011 and ’12).
As a member of the Korean National Team, Yoon pitched in the Asian Games (2006 & ’10), Olympic Games (2008) and World Baseball Classic (2009 & ’13). In 2008, he helped pitch Korea to their first Olympic gold medal in baseball during the Beijing games, going 2-0 with a 2.34 ERA (7.2IP, 2ER) in five appearances. Yoon has made five total appearances in the World Baseball Classic, first going 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA (16.0IP, 2ER, BB, 13K) in four games for the silver medal winning squad in 2009, before making one start in 2013.
Since 2011, Yoon has recorded 3.72 strikeouts per walk. In 2013, he posted seven saves and a 3.60 ERA in 19 relief appearances, going 3-6 with a 4.00 ERA in 30 games overall. He will wear #18.