Former KBO No. 1 Draft Pick Ha Ju-suk Traded to Kia Tigers

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, July 23 (Yonhap) -- Ha Ju-suk, former No. 1 overall draft pick in South Korean baseball, was traded Thursday.

The Hanwha Eagles dealt Ha to the Kia Tigers in exchange for reliever Lee Hyeong-beom, moments after defeating the Tigers 9-3 at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in the southwestern city of Gwangju.

Ha, 32, was the top selection at the 2011 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) draft, but has not lived up to his hype over his 15-year career. The oft-injured player played more than 100 games in a season just five times.

He leaves the Eagles with a .268 career batting average in 997 games, along with 53 home runs and 373 RBIs.

Ha has only played in 27 games in the KBO this year, putting up a .256 batting average with no home run and six RBIs. In 32 games in the minor league, Ha batted .327 in 32 games with a home run and 12 RBIs.

The longtime shortstop can also play second base, and the Tigers said they will bank on Ha's defensive versatility and experience.

The Tigers have not adequately filled their hole at shortstop after losing All-Star Park Chan-ho in free agency last winter.

The Eagles, who had a surplus of middle infielders, are receiving an experienced reliever that can add depth to their bullpen.

Lee, 32, has pitched to a 3.00 ERA in 19 appearances covering 24 innings this season.