Eight Years Of U.S. Challenge
Park Hyo-joon 27, who continues his challenge to the U.S. stage, has become a free agent FA.
Gwinnet Strikers, a Triple-A team under the Atlanta Braves, announced the list of players released as FA on the club's website on the 7th . Park Hyo-joon was also included in the list and became free.
Park Hyo-joon did not have an impressive performance in Triple-A this season with a batting average of 0.262 83 hits in 317 times at bat and six home runs, 42 RBIs, and 16 steals, OPS, 0.764 and eventually left Atlanta.
Park Hyo-joon, who signed a contract with the New York Yankees for a down payment of $1.16 million in July 2014 when he was a junior at Yatap High School, has challenged the U.S. stage since 2015. After going through the minor leagues step by step, he succeeded in entering the Major League in July 2021. However, in the Yankees, he went back down to the minor leagues after just one at-bat, and later wore the Pittsburgh Pirates uniform in a trade.
Park Hyo-joon, who played in 44 games for Pittsburgh in the second half of the 2021 season and recorded a batting average of 0.197 25 hits in 127 at-bats three home runs, 14 RBIs and one stolen base OPS of 0.638 and raised expectations by entering the opening roster in 2022. However, he played in only 23 games and recorded a disappointing performance of 0.216 batting average 11 hits in 51 at-bats with two home runs, six RBIs and one stolen base OPS of 0.649.
Eventually, Park Hyo-joon was transferred from Pittsburgh after the end of the 2022 season, and was traded to the Boston Red Sox, but was again DFA. He moved to Atlanta through another trade, but soon after, it was dealt with by DFA again, and eventually had to accept going to the minor leagues because he couldn't find a new team.
Park Hyo-joon, who had the hardest time since entering the U.S. last winter, is uncertain about his future again in a year. It is unclear whether Park Hyo-joon, who failed to achieve solid results in the Major League and Triple-A, will be able to receive a recruitment offer from other teams. However, Park Hyo-joon may be interested in teams that need utility resources because he has versatility to play all positions except first baseman and catcher. If it cannot remain on the U.S. stage, it will have to turn to other leagues, including Korea. Park Hyo-joon, who has already been in his eighth year of U.S. challenge, is approaching the time to make the biggest decision in his baseball career.