Oakland Signs Top Korean Catcher For $510,000



Oakland's growing international presence is stretching to the Pacific Rim, as the Athletics have agreed to terms for $510,000 with Seong-Min Kim out of Yatap High in Seoul, South Korea. 

Kim, 17, is a 6-foot-1, 210-pound catcher who, according to one scout, stands out for his plus raw power from the right side. Baseball America will have additional scouting information on Kim as it becomes available.

The A's were among the top five spenders for international amateur players last year with a budget of nearly $5 million. The A's did sign one Pacific Rim player last year, adding Taiwanese shortstop Chih-Fing Pan for $150,000 in April. Pan, 20, hit .331/.386/.439 in 43 Rookie-level Arizona League games last summer.

In 2010, Cubs righthander Jin-Young Kim ($850,000) was the only player from South Korea who signed a contract with a Major League Baseball team.



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2 Comments

Any news on another South Korean, RHP Sung-Hyuk Han, who was a teammate of Jin-Young Kim last year in high school? Thank you.

The Kia Tigers of the Korean Baseball Organization drafted Han with their first-round pick (the final pick of the first round) in the KBO draft. Not the same caliber guy as Seong-Min Kim or Jin-Young Kim.


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