Welcome to the International Beat newsletter. I'm MLB.com's Michael Clair. Thanks for being here.
|
|
|
The Major League season is over and we have our champion! But because baseball never stops and never sleeps, fans are already casting their gaze to next season and the perpetual dream of the future (to say nothing of the winter leagues that have begun play, the U-23 Baseball World Cup in Nicaragua beginning on Nov. 6, and the Premier12 Qualifiers in Zhongshan on Nov. 26). Last time around, I asked my anonymous MLB scout friend for his opinion on a few of the top NPB players that might be coming to the Major Leagues. This time, we’ll cover the KBO players who may reach the Majors in the future. While Si Hwan Roh may be the only major player coming from the KBO this season, some of the league’s biggest names like Do Yeong Kim and Been Gwak may be on the move in the next few years. (While NPB teams can post a player whenever they choose, KBO teams can only post a player after they’ve reached seven years of service.) 3B Si Hwan Roh 2026 stats (KBO): .283/.360/.505, 29 HR, 96 RBI, 3 SB, 51 BB, 147 K Age (as of 2026 season): 25 Bats: R Potential fits: Cardinals, Yankees, Mariners, Angels ETA: 2027 Roh may have signed an 11-year contract extension with the Hanwha Eagles last season, but it included a provision that allows him to be posted this winter. With reports coming out that he’s set to be put on the market, our scout likes the power, calling him “a big power bat from third base,” that should play at the MLB level. However, while he has the arm strength to stay at the position, “he’s a little bit weak defensively.” A member of the national team at the World Baseball Classic this spring, his potential trip to the Majors may depend on if teams value his bat enough to consider him as a DH and if they can match the value of his KBO contract valued at approximately $21.3 million. SP Been Gwak 2026 stats (KBO): 11-7, 2.24 ERA, 161 IP, 197 K, 39 BB Age: 27 Throws: R Potential fits: Mets, Cubs, Nationals, Astros, D-backs ETA: 2028 A hard-throwing right-hander with a killer changeup, racking up a 44 percent whiff rate on the offspeed offering last year, Gwak’s ‘26 breakout made him the first Korean-born player to lead the KBO in strikeouts since Woo-Jin An in 2022. “His fastball is really outstanding,” our anonymous talent evaluator said, noting that he can touch 98 with the fastball and can mix it with solid secondary offerings. However, despite standing a powerful 6-foot-2, our scout isn’t sold on the two-time WBC veteran as a starting pitcher – though that could change if he repeats his performance next year. “As a starter, I think he would have to prove himself a little bit more. … I think he'll be profiled as a fourth or fifth starter in the States.” |
Been Gwak poses at this year's World Baseball Classic. |
|
|
3B Do Yeong Kim 2026 stats (KBO): .308/.413/.647, 45 HR, 118 RBI, 11 SB, 85 BB, 103 K Age: 22 Bats: R Potential fits: Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox, Angels ETA: 2029 Kim has been making MLB fans dream of what could be ever since his breakout season two years ago when he became the youngest player in KBO history to post a 30/30 campaign – coming just two homers shy of a 40/40 one. "I'm a person and a player that's always striving for perfection," Kim told MLB.com after collecting the MVP Award that year. "That could be in the baseball field, that could just be in life. I'm always striving for that. Probably not as perfect as Ohtani, but certainly I'm setting myself a goal: I just want to be good at everything, be a good person and be positive." Unfortunately, a series of hamstring injuries limited him to just 30 games in 2025 and means he doesn’t run nearly as often any longer, swiping just 11 bags this past season. None of that matters to teams who may want a big bat, as Kim set a career-high with 45 home runs last season – smashing another home run for the national team at the World Baseball Classic in March. While our evaluator thinks he will settle more into a 20-25 homer threat in the big leagues, “obviously the power is there, the offense is there,” he said. “Just the offensive stuff that alone has value.” He noted that Kim can hit fastballs and is a good enough hitter to adjust to offspeed and breaking pitches, making him someone who shouldn’t struggle too badly should he move to the states in two years time. While Kim may not be an exemplary third baseman, his natural athleticism gives him the opportunity to make some adjustments and remain at the hot corner. If that doesn’t work out, “he’ll probably have to move over to the outfield.” |
|
|
Do Yeong Kim homers in the World Baseball Classic. Click photo to view. |
SS Ju Won Kim 2026 stats (KBO): .280/.361/.427, 18 HR, 61 RBI, 30 SB, 50 BB, 79 K Age: 23 Bats: S Potential fits: Rays, Braves, White Sox, Mariners ETA: 2028 A switch-hitting middle infielder with plenty of speed, a solid batting eye and the ability to play at short or second, Kim should have plenty of takers should the Dinos post the WBC veteran next year. Though he’ll likely never be a major power threat, his home run totals have trended up, leading to a career-high 18 round-trippers in ‘26 and 20-plus doubles in each of the last two seasons. “He has a lot of athleticism over there,” our scout said, noting that he’s a “perennial 30-to-40 stolen base guy.” Though he has the ability to reach double-digit home runs in the Majors, he’s “more of a gap-to-gap” hitter, offering more power from the left-side. Though it may not be as sexy as a 40-homer guy, those are the kind of well-rounded skills that almost every team could use from the most important defensive position on the field. |
Ju Won Kim singles in a run in the World Baseball Classic. Click photo view. |
SP Tae In Won 2026 stats (KBO): 7-9, 4.52 ETA, 145.1 IP, 34 BB, 117 K Age: 26 Throws: R Potential fits: Rangers, Tigers, Astros, Giants ETA: 2027 There were rumors that Won was interested in coming to the Majors following his performance last season, when the Samsung Lions’ starter cut his walks to a career-low 1.5 BB/9 and posted a 3.24 ERA. Now a free agent, Won is coming off his worst KBO season, his year delayed after missing out on the WBC with an elbow injury. Despite the downturn, there is still plenty of interest in the free agent arm across Korea – and without a posting fee, could there be MLB teams interested? Our scout noted that he throws “91 to 94, has a good changeup and he can eat innings,” topping 140 IP each year since 2020. However, he’s more likely viewed as a reliever in the states. “As a starter, I think he would be sort of an up-and-down guy, so maybe a reliever would be a better fit for him,” the scout said. |
|
|
Former MLB legends were joined by cricket and softball superstars in for MLBx: Mumbai. Click image for story. |
- It's been a heck of a year for Jackson Chourio, William Contreras and Antonio Senzatela: They've become the only players since Alex Bregman and Luke Gregerson in 2017 to win the World Baseball Classic and World Series in the same year. (Angel Zerpa was on the IL, but was on both teams, too.)
- The SoftBank Hawks are back-to-back NPB champions! Tomoya Masaki won MVP as the Hawks swept the DeNA BayStars. It was the Hawks' eighth title since 2014.
- The Wei Chuan Dragons took down the CTBC Brothers for the CPBL championship in a six-game series.
- The Samsung Lions and KT Wiz are set to play for the KBO's crown beginning on Nov. 3 at 4:30 a.m. ET.
- MLB went to India to hold an MLBx event. Here's the story.
|
Streamers rain down after the Dragons' Taiwan Series win. |
|
|
FORWARDED FROM A FRIEND? SUBSCRIBE NOW |
|
|
To subscribe to International Beat, visit this page and mark "International Beat" from our newsletter list. For tips, hints, or just to talk about international baseball, find me @michaelsclair on X/Twitter and IG or email me at Michael.Clair@MLB.com. |
|
|
© 2026 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. MLB trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball. Visit MLB.com. Any other marks used herein are trademarks of their respective owners.
Please review our Privacy Policy.
You (michael.clair@mlb.com) received this message because you registered to receive commercial email messages or purchased a ticket from MLB.
Please add info@marketing.mlbemail.com to your address book to ensure our messages reach your inbox. If you no longer wish to receive commercial email messages from MLB.com, please unsubscribe or log in and manage your email subscriptions.
Postal Address: MLB.com, c/o MLB Advanced Media, L.P., 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.
|
|
|
|
