LG Twins bring back slugger Dean on record contract for foreign hitter
Quick Look
- The LG Twins have re-signed American slugger Austin Dean for his fifth KBO season on a one-year, $2 million deal — the most lucrative contract ever for a foreign hitter in South Korean baseball history.
- Dean, who hit 41 home runs in 2025 and led the league in OPS, previously won Golden Gloves in 2023 and 2024.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Austin Dean has played for the LG Twins since 2023, winning Golden Gloves in 2023 and 2024 and leading the KBO in RBIs in 2024. The previous record for a foreign hitter's annual salary was $1.8 million, held by Mel Rojas Jr. and Guillermo Heredia in 2025.
The LG Twins announced Thursday they will bring back their American slugger Austin Dean on the most lucrative deal for a foreign hitter in South Korean baseball history.
The Twins said Dean will be back for his fifth season in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) on a new one-year deal worth US$2 million.
The previous record for the biggest annual salary for a foreign hitter had been $1.8 million, set by both former KT Wiz outfielder Mel Rojas Jr. and SSG Landers outfielder Guillermo Heredia in 2025.
Former Doosan Bears pitcher Dustin Nippert holds the mark for the largest annual salary for a foreign player, with the $2.1 million he made in 2017.
In 2026, Dean played all 144 games and set a franchise record with 41 home runs, finishing third overall in the league in that category. He led the KBO in on-base plus slugging with 1.062 while finishing third with 127 RBIs and 180 hits, and fourth with a .331 batting average.
He has been among the most productive hitters since first joining the Twins in 2023. He won the Golden Glove at first base in 2023 and 2024. Also in 2024, Dean led the KBO with 132 RBIs and earned the KBO Fielding Award at first base.
Since 2023, Dean leads all KBO players with 127 home runs and 449 RBIs.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Austin Dean will play his fifth season with the LG Twins in 2026 under the new one-year deal.
Very likely · Within months
Open Questions
- What specific performance incentives or clauses are included in Dean's new contract?
- How will the record salary affect the LG Twins' payroll flexibility for other players?
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