Choi Hyeong-woo (40), the leading hitter of Korean professional baseball, signed a multi-year contract as the oldest non-free agent (FA) player ever.The KIA club announced on the 5th that it had signed a multi-year contract with Choi Hyung-woo for a total of 2.2 billion won, with a contract period of 1+1 year, an annual salary of 2 billion won, and an option of 200 million won.If Choi Hyung-woo fulfills his option this year, his contract for next year will be automatically extended.Choi Hyung-woo left the Samsung Lions at the end of 2016 and transferred to KIA as a free agent, receiving a total of 10 billion won, including a contract fee of 4 billion won and an annual salary of 1.5 billion won, over four years, pioneering the era of the first free agent to reach 10 billion won.After the first free agent contract ended, he renewed his contract with KIA in December 2020 for a total of 4.7 billion won, including a 3-year contract period, 1.3 billion won down payment, 900 million won annual salary, and 700 million won in options.
The KIA club explained the background of the multi-year contract by saying that Choi Hyung-woo has achieved outstanding results as the team’s problem solver over the past seven years, and that he showed off his health last year by hitting a batting average of 0.302, 17 home runs, 81 RBIs, and 130 hits.Choi Hyung-woo, who turned 40 in December last year, will wear the Tigers uniform for up to nine years depending on his grades.Choi Hyeong-woo said through the club, “I am grateful to the club for first suggesting good conditions of a multi-year contract,” and “I will do my best with my teammates so that the roar of fall baseball can be heard in Gwangju. And I will not maintain my original intention until the last day of my career as a player.” “I want to be remembered by Tigers fans as a player who was always consistent,” he said.KIA General Manager Shim Jae-hak said, “Hyung-Woo Choi not only has excellent grades, but he has always been an example to his fellow players as a clubhouse leader, so we tried to treat him accordingly,” adding, “I hope he will continue to be a positive influence on his teammates and play an active role as a player representing the 온라인카지노 KBO League.” “I look forward to it,” he said.