Posting system (KBO)
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The posting system is a baseball player transfer system that operates between Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) and the Major League Baseball (MLB). The system is based on the original posting system that was put in place between MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in 1998.
To be eligible for posting, a player must have first played at least seven years in the KBO. Under this system, when a KBO player is "posted," MLB holds a four-day-long silent auction during which MLB teams can submit sealed bids in an attempt to win the exclusive rights to negotiate with the player for a period of 30 days. If the KBO team accepts the winning bid, then the player is free to negotiate with the highest-bidding MLB team. If the MLB team and the KBO player agree on contract terms before the 30-day period has expired, the KBO team receives the bid amount as a transfer fee, and the player is free to play in MLB. If the KBO team rejects the winning bid or if the MLB team cannot come to a contract agreement with the posted player, then no fee is paid, and the player's rights revert to his KBO team.
Up to the end of the 2014–15 posting period, eight KBO players had been posted using the system. Of these, two signed Major League contracts immediately, one signed a minor league contract, four bids were rejected by KBO teams, and one could not come to a contract agreement during the 30-day negotiation period. The eight players that have been acquired by MLB teams through the posting system are Choi Hyang-nam, Hyun-jin Ryu, Jung-ho Kang, Byung-ho Park, Kwang-hyun Kim, Ha-seong Kim, Jung-hoo Lee, Woo-suk Go, and Hyeseong Kim.
Postings
Past postings
Of the South Korean-born players who have played in MLB, seven have entered the league using the posting system.
| Player | Posting date | KBO team | MLB team | Winning bid or posting fee | Date of contract agreement | MLB contract | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Choi Hyang-namP | January 22, 2009 | Lotte Giants | St. Louis Cardinals | $101 | $0Minor league contract | ||
| Ryu Hyun-jinP | November 1, 2012 | Hanwha Eagles | Los Angeles Dodgers | $25,737,737.33 | December 9, 2012 | $6,000,0006 year, $36 million | |
| Kang Jung-ho | December 15, 2014 | Nexen Heroes | Pittsburgh Pirates | $5,002,015 | January 16, 2015 | $2,750,0004 year, $11 million | |
| Park Byung-ho | November 2, 2015 | Nexen Heroes | Minnesota Twins | $12,850,000 | December 1, 2015 | $3,000,0004 year, $12 million | |
| Kim Kwang-hyunP | December 6, 2019 | SK Wyverns | St. Louis Cardinals | $1,600,000 | December 17, 2019 | 2 year, $8 million | |
| Kim Ha-seong | November 25, 2020 | Kiwoom Heroes | San Diego Padres | $5,525,000 | December 31, 2020 | 4 year, $28 million | |
| Lee Jung-hoo | December 4, 2023 | Kiwoom Heroes | San Francisco Giants | $18,825,000 | December 13, 2023 | 6 year, $113 million | |
| Go Woo-sukP | December 4, 2023 | LG Twins | San Diego Padres | $900,000 | January 3, 2024 | 2 year, $4.5 million | |
| Hyeseong Kim | December 4, 2024 | Kiwoom Heroes | Los Angeles Dodgers | $2,000,000 | January 3, 2025 | 3 year, $12.5 million |
^P This player is a pitcher.
| Player | Posting date | KBO team | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee Sang-hoonP | 1998 | LG Twins | The LG Twins rejected the winning MLB team's highest bid of $600,000. | |
| Jin Pil-jungP | December 2002 | Doosan Bears | The Doosan Bears rejected the winning MLB team's highest bid of $25,000. | |
| Lim Chang-yongP | December 2002 | Samsung Lions | The Samsung Lions rejected the winning MLB team's highest bid of $650,000. | |
| Kim Kwang-hyunP | November 4, 2014 | SK Wyverns | The San Diego Padres were awarded exclusive negotiating rights on November 11, 2014, after bidding $2 million. Contract negotiations ended without an agreement and Kim returned to the Wyverns. | |
| Yang Hyeon-jongP | November 17, 2014 | Kia Tigers | The Kia Tigers rejected the winning MLB team's highest bid. It was reported that the Minnesota Twins or the Texas Rangers were possibly the highest bidders with a bid estimated at $1.5 million, though the exact details were never disclosed. | |
| Son Ah-seop | November 16, 2015 | Lotte Giants | ||
| Hwang Jae-gyun | November 30, 2015 | Lotte Giants | The Lotte Giants did not receive any bids. | |
| Kim Jae-hwan | December 5, 2019 | Doosan Bears | ||
| Na Sung-bum | December 10, 2020 | LG Twins |
^P This player is a pitcher.