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Former big leaguer Kim Kwang-hyun becomes KBO's highest-paid player

Published: 05 Mar. 2025, 13:23 Updated: 05 Mar. 2025, 13:28

SSG Landers pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun during a game against KT Wiz in Suwon on Oct. 1. [YONHAP]

SSG Landers starting pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun will be the highest-paid player in Korean baseball this year, the league office announced Wednesday.

The KBO released salary data for the upcoming season in which it said Kim, who pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals from 2020 to 2021, will earn 3 billion won ($2.06 million) this season.

The Landers also led all 10 teams with the total payroll at 11.7 billion won and an average salary of 221.2 million won.

Kim made 1 billion won last season, when another former big league hurler, Ryu Hyun-jin of the Hanwha Eagles, was the highest-paid player with a 2.5 billion won salary.

This year, Ryu tied for second place with 2 billion won in earnings, joined by Samsung Lions outfielder Koo Ja-wook and KT Wiz pitcher Ko Young-pyo.

Kim Do-yeong of the Kia Tigers, the 2024 regular-season MVP, enjoyed the biggest rate of annual salary increase, as his wage jumped from 100 million won to 500 million won.

His 400 percent annual increase is the largest in Tigers history and the third-largest ever in KBO history, excluding free agent deals or multiyear extensions.

In the KBO, players sign one-year contracts before becoming eligible for free agency after eight full seasons on the books. Kim is entering his fourth season.

Doosan Bears closer Kim Taek-yeon, the 2024 Rookie of the Year, who will make 140 million won this season, tied for the biggest salary for a second-year player in league history.

Among foreign players, KT Wiz outfielder Mel Rojas Jr. is the top earner with a salary of $1.8 million.

The KBO said the average annual salary, excluding those for foreign players and rookies making the league minimum, came to a record 160.7 million won, up from 154.9 million won from 2024.

Yonhap