Free agent Hwang Jae-gyun signs to stay with KT Wiz

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Free agent Hwang Jae-gyun signs to stay with KT Wiz

Published: 27 Dec. 2021, 16:32

KT Wiz infielder Hwang Jae-gyu, right, shakes hands with the club's general manager, Lee Soong-yong, on Monday after signing a new four-year contract. [YONHAP]

Free agent infielder Hwang Jae-gyun has opted to stay with the KT Wiz, signing a four-year deal worth 6 billion won ($5 million) on Monday.

Hwang will earn 2.9 billion won in guaranteed salary over the four years, along with 600 million won in incentives and a 2.5-billion-won signing bonus.

Hwang made his KBO debut in 2007 with the Hyundai Unicorns. From 2008 to 2010 Hwang played for the Heroes franchise and then was traded to the Lotte Giants later in 2010, where he continued to play through 2016. In 2016, Hwang became a free agent and signed a contract with the San Francisco Giants. He joined the KT Wiz in 2018, three years after the club joined the KBO.

His previous 8.8 million won ($ 7.9 million) contract, signed on Nov. 12, 2017, expired at the end of the 2021 season. Having played a total of 1,701 KBO matches, Hwang has a career .290 batting average with 902 hits, 941 RBIs and 191 home runs. In the 2021 season, Hwang batted .291 with 132 hits, 56 RBIs and 10 home runs.

"I thank the club for signing me on good terms," Jang said. "I won my first title with KT, and I wanted to play with the team until I retire. I will work hard to win KT’s second title.”

While announcing that Hwang had re-signed with the club, KT credited the infielder as playing a huge role in the club winning its first Korean Series this year.

Hwang Jae-gyun [NEWS1]

“We are glad to sign a contract with Hwang, who led the team to the Korean Series title,” said KT general manager Lee Soong-yong.

“We hope that Hwang will continue with his brilliant performance as an infielder and help younger teammates as a veteran player.”

BY YUN SO-HYANG [yun.sohyang@joongang.co.kr]