Can LG's best outfielder Hong Chang-ki and non-FA long-term contract Koo Ja-wook exceed 12 billion won in five years since Park Yong-taek
Dec 26, 2024
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Hong Chang-ki will be eligible for FA after 2026 season. He is a college graduate, so it only takes seven full-time seasons (8 seasons for high school graduates). The KBO League has recently been a major outfielder famine. If Hong Chang-ki is released as an FA, the ransom will go through the roof. For LG, it may be reasonable to crack down in advance. Hong Chang-ki is also stable to reduce the remaining two-year variables as much as possible.
It is worth comparing with Samsung outfielder Koo Ja-wook. Ahead of the 2022 season, Samsung retained franchise star Koo Ja-wook for five years and 12 billion won. It is a large contract signed a year before the FA Koo Ja-wook. This is the first case to surpass 10 billion won as a non-FA multi-year contract.
Hong Chang-ki, who made his LG debut in 2016, showed full potential after returning from military service at the National Police Agency. He has been LG's main outfielder since 2020. Hong Chang-ki ranked first in the league's on-base percentage in three of the past four seasons (2021, 2023, 2024). The player who stopped Hong Chang-ki's four consecutive losses is Lee Jung-hoo of the San Francisco Giants (2022 at the time of Kiwoom).
Hong Chang-ki was born in 1993. He will turn 32 in the 2025 season. The FA season starts at the age of 34. Hong Chang-ki's strength is his accurate pioneering eye and sophisticated hitting ability. It is not the type directly affected by physical ability, so there is less concern about aging curves. Considering the recent trend of players continuing their careers until their 40s through thorough self-management, 34 years old is not that old.
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Hong Chang-ki's only weakness is a home run. In particular, in the case of outfielders, the index that has a decisive effect on ransom is attack power, and among them, long-shot power is important. Of course, Hong Chang-ki has few home runs, but boasts high offensive productivity with on-base percentage and batting average. In short, Hong Chang-ki hit five home runs in 2024 and recorded wRC+ 142.3 to rank third overall in the outfield. Herredia, who has 21 home runs, is fourth with 137.2.
Hong Chang-ki's ransom is expected to start at least 10 billion won. Since the service time is still two years away, LG will hold the knife handle for the time being. If Hong Chang-ki continues his special performance in 2025, his value will inevitably soar further next winter. For LG, one option is to lower the total amount while setting the contract period for a long time in advance.
dhhan@sportschosun.com
