Professional baseball Doosan signs rookie Kim Ji-woo 500 million won contract... Highest right-handed hitter of all time

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Dong-han = Professional baseball's Doosan Bears awarded 2027 rookie infielder Kim Ji-woo (Seoul High School) 500 million won, the highest contract deposit ever for a right-handed fielder.

Doosan announced on the 13th that it had signed contracts with 11 new players, including first-round pick Ji-woo Kim.

Kim Ji-woo's contract payment is the highest ever for a right-handed fielder rookie, exceeding the 450 million won received by Kim Dong-ju (1998, OB Bears designation) and Sang-ho Jeong (2001, SK Wyverns).

Even including left-handed hitters, he is tied for first place in contract money among all-time fielder rookies along with Kang Hyuk (1993 OB designation) and Na Seung-yeop (2021 Lotte Giants designation).

Kim Ji-woo, who received attention from several clubs in the American Major League Baseball (MLB), recorded a batting average of 0.422, 2 home runs, 19 RBI, and OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 1.133 in 14 high school games this year.

2nd round catcher Seol Jae-min (Deoksu High School) signed a contract for 170 million won, and 3rd and 4th round pitchers Jeong Hyeon-woo and Lee Seok-young (Doneui Science University) signed a contract for 120 million won and 90 million won, respectively.

The contract deposits of 5th to 7th rounds Jo Han-gyeol (Sunrin Internet High School), Kim Do-yoon (Gwangju Dongseong High School), and Park Jun-seo (Seoul Convention High School) are 70 million won, 60 million won, and 50 million won, respectively.

Dong-hwan Kim (Seoul Dongsan High School) and Min-jun Lee (Inha University) in the 8th and 9th rounds signed for 40 million won each, and Jun-woo Kim (Sungkyunkwan University) and Seung-min Lee (Busan High School) in the 10th and 11th rounds signed for 30 million won each.

Kim Ji-woo said, "I am truly grateful to the club for treating me well," and added, "I feel a sense of responsibility as I feel the expectations the club has placed on me. I will grow into a player who represents the Bears."