Kang Baek-ho (26, KT Wiz) has expressed his intention to challenge for the Major League after this season. When asked such a question on Lee Dae-ho's YouTube channel "RE: DAEHO" on Tuesday, he said, "I do intend to challenge for the Major League. I think that will change again depending on how well he will perform in the next season (2025 season, estimated to be 2024)."안전놀이터

Kang is the biggest fish in the 2025-2026 FA. He is a strong candidate to sign a contract worth 10 billion won (approx. "If KT does not sign a multi-year non-FA contract, chances are high that it will become Kang Baek-ho for everyone," Ryu Sun-kyu, former head of SSG Landers, said on his YouTube channel Keystone Play about a month ago.

Kang is a young clutch player who can hit .300 with 20 home runs every year. He has often changed positions such as first base, outfield, catcher, etc. due to his lack of defense, but he is definitely different when it comes to hitting. Since his debut with KT in 2018, he has posted a batting average of .307 with 121 home runs, 504 RBIs, 499 runs and an OPS of .832 in 802 games for seven years.

There is no season for 30 homers yet, but he has recorded 20 homers three times. He also recorded a batting average of .300 three times. He also recorded an OPS of .9 or higher three times. He went through a slump in 2022 and 2023, but played in 144 games in the 2024 season, recovering his batting average of .289 with 26 homers and 96 RBIs with an OPS of .840.

Moreover, if he becomes an FA after this season, he will be 27 years old. He also solved his military service by winning the gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games. This is a huge merit. The team that will recruit Kang Baek-ho from the FA market will be in his prime. The prevailing view is that it will be the strongest FA recruitment match ever. If demand explodes, the contract period is certain to exceed 10 billion won for more than four years. No matter how competitive there are, it is not easy to see players with conditions such as Kang Baek-ho in the FA market.

Kang already received an identity check from the Major League secretariat last fall. However, he has not expressed his intention to go to the U.S. As he said, he has no idea how he will change his mind during this season. As he is a free agent after the end of this season, he does not have to go through posting if he tries to join the Major League. In other words, no transfer fee will be incurred for the team that takes Kang.

After all, Kang will likely organize his thoughts on his future course of action during this season. Many predict that KT will also be able to offer a non-FA multi-year contract. Anyway, he is a member of KT until this season, and has an opportunity to select his name. It can be said that he was conscious of Kang Baek-ho to some extent that he watched Um Sang-baek and Shim Woo-joon sign contracts with the Hanwha Eagles in this FA market.

Kang confessed that he had already been offered scouting by Major League teams since his high school days. "My father wanted me to go to the U.S. I practiced thinking that I would go to the U.S. until I was a sophomore."

Things have changed, however, as Lee Jung-hoo (27, San Francisco Giants) invited Kang to Gocheok Sky Dome when he was a rookie. Kang said, "Lee Jung-hoo did a great job that day. He was so cool when he ran to the center while watching so many spectators. He also won the Rookie of the Year award. I really wanted to do that, too. Actually, I got an offer from the Major League, but I persuaded my father for a week to play in Korea."

Back then, Kang said to his father, "I've never violated what my father said. That was the first time I made my point. I persuaded him for a week. I want to play in Korea. I played in the U.S. because I wanted to play in Korea because I would have a chance to play there if I succeed like many other players."

Will he be able to renew his dream of Major League Baseball, which he gave up when he was a senior in high school? Or will it be a non-FA multi-year contract with KT? Or will he become "Kang Baekho of all" with 10 billion won (approx. This is the biggest topic of conversation in the coming winter.