Ji-hwan Bae | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pittsburgh Pirates – No. 3 | |||||||||||||||
Second baseman / Center fielder | |||||||||||||||
Born: Daegu, South Korea | July 26, 1999|||||||||||||||
Bats: Left Throws: Right | |||||||||||||||
MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
September 23, 2022, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||||||||||||||
MLB statistics (through June 2,2024) | |||||||||||||||
Batting average | .238 | ||||||||||||||
Home runs | 2 | ||||||||||||||
Runs batted in | 40 | ||||||||||||||
Stolen bases | 29 | ||||||||||||||
Teams | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Medals
|
Ji-hwan Bae (born July 26, 1999) is a South Korean professional baseball second baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). In 2017, the Atlanta Braves announced the signing of Bae as a free agent. He made his MLB debut in 2022.
Bae represented South Korea at the 2017 U-18 Baseball World Cup. During the tournament, he hit for a .286 batting average with five RBIs, six runs scored, six walks and two stolen bases. [1] In his final high school baseball season, Bae appeared in 27 games, hit .474, and received the Lee Young-min Batting Award as South Korea's best hitter at the high school level. [2] Bae was projected to be a first round pick in the 2017 KBO League draft. [3]
On September 23, 2017, the Atlanta Braves announced the signing of Bae as a free agent. [4] General manager John Coppolella claimed that Bae was the youngest Asian baseball player to sign with the Braves in nearly two decades. [5] By joining the Braves, Bae would have become the second player since Kwon Kwang-min , who signed with the Chicago Cubs in 2015, to leave a South Korean high school directly for professional baseball in the United States. [1] On November 21, 2017, Major League Baseball voided his contract with the Braves as a result of fraudulent contract negotiations. [6] [7] The New York Times reported that, although Bae had agreed to sign for $300,000, the Braves planned to pay him an additional $600,000 by reallocating money promised to other signees. [8] The KBO League barred Bae from signing with any South Korean professional team for two years because he had skipped the KBO's draft to join the Braves organization, where he appeared with Atlanta's Florida Instructional League team. [9]
On March 27, 2018, the Pittsburgh Pirates signed Bae for a reported signing bonus of $1.25 million. [10] [11] Bae finished the 2019 season with the Greensboro Grasshoppers. [12] He then played for Geelong-Korea in the Australian Baseball League during the offseason. [13] [14] [15] The 2020 Minor League baseball season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, [16] and Bae was subsequently assigned to the Altoona Curve in 2021. At the Double-A level, he recorded a slash line of .278/.359/.413 with 12 doubles, five triples, seven homers and 31 RBIs in 83 games. [17] After the minor league season ended, Bae was assigned to the Peoria Javelinas and selected to the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game. [18] Bae spent most of the 2022 season with the Indianapolis Indians, where he appeared in 108 games, slashed .289/.362/.430 with 23 doubles, six triples, eight home runs and 53 RBIs. [17]
On September 23, 2022, Bae made his major league debut. [17] [19] He started at second base for the Pirates in a game against the Chicago Cubs, [19] was walked once, hit a single, and stole two bases. [20] [21] Bae made the Pirates 2023 Opening Day roster. [22] [23] On April 4, 2023, he hit his first major league home run. [24] Bae began the 2024 season in the minor leagues, initially with Low-A Bradenton, on rehabilitation assignment for a muscle strain. The Pirates recalled Bae from Triple-A Indianapolis in May 2024; Bae recorded his first MLB hit and RBI of the 2024 season on the same day, May 21. [25] [26]
Born in July 1999, Bae attended Kyeongbuk High School in Daegu. [1] He grew up as a fan of South Korean professional baseball, and began watching Major League Baseball when fellow South Korea native Shin-Soo Choo joined the Cleveland Indians. Bae soon became a fan of Hyun-jin Ryu, Jung-ho Kang, and José Altuve. [27]
In May 2018, Bae was accused of slapping, choking, and kicking his ex-girlfriend in 2017 on New Year's Eve, when he was 18 years old. [28] [29] [30] In October 2018, he was convicted of assault in court in Daegu and required to pay a fine of ₩2 million. [31] [32] [33] In April 2019, Major League Baseball suspended Bae without pay for 30 games because of the incident. [31] [34] [35] [36]
Gorkys Gustavo Hernández Lugo is a Venezuelan former professional baseball outfielder. Hernandez signed with the Detroit Tigers in 2005. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Miami Marlins, San Francisco Giants, and Boston Red Sox. He is signed to the Caribes de Anzoátegui of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League.
Below are the rosters of the minor league affiliates of the Pittsburgh Pirates:
Michael Charles McKenry, nicknamed "The Fort", is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Colorado Rockies, and St. Louis Cardinals.
Eric Joseph Fryer is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Minnesota Twins, and St. Louis Cardinals. A product of Ohio State University, the Milwaukee Brewers selected him in the ninth round of the 2007 Major League Baseball draft.
Starling Javier Marte is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks, Miami Marlins, and Oakland Athletics. He made his MLB debut in 2012 with the Pirates. Marte is a two-time MLB All-Star and a two-time Gold Glove Award winner. In 2021, he led the major leagues with 47 stolen bases.
Joshua Evan Bell is an American professional baseball first baseman for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Nationals, San Diego Padres, and Cleveland Guardians. Bell made his MLB debut in 2016 with the Pirates.
Alen Rery Hanson Michel is a Dominican professional baseball infielder for the Conspiradores de Querétaro of the Mexican League. A second baseman and outfielder, Hanson made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 17, 2016, and has also played in MLB for the Chicago White Sox, San Francisco Giants, and Toronto Blue Jays. He has additionally played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
Gregory Polanco, nicknamed "El Coffee", is a Dominican professional baseball right fielder for the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2014 for the Pittsburgh Pirates and he also played in NPB for the Yomiuri Giants.
Austin Wade Meadows is an American professional baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Tampa Bay Rays and Detroit Tigers. Meadows was an MLB All-Star in 2019.
Cole Bryson Tucker is an American professional baseball shortstop and outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Colorado Rockies.
Ke'Bryan Kobe Hayes is an American professional baseball third baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2020.
Adam Timothy Frazier is an American professional baseball second baseman and outfielder for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, and Baltimore Orioles. He played college baseball for the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Frazier was an All-Star in 2021.
Phillip Mathew Evans is an American professional baseball infielder in the Atlanta Braves organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates, and has played for the Mexico national baseball team in international competitions.
The 2017 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the franchise's 136th season overall, 131st season as a member of the National League, and the 17th season at PNC Park. They failed to improve on their record from the previous season and finished fourth in the National League Central. The Pirates failed to qualify for the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
Taylor Stone Gushue is an American professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 4th round of the 2014 Major League Baseball draft.
The 2018 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the franchise's 137th season overall, 132nd season as a member of the National League, and the 18th season at PNC Park. The Pirates finished the season in fourth place in the National League Central, with a record of 82–79 and failed to qualify for the playoffs for the third consecutive season.
Oneil Cruz is a Dominican professional baseball shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2021.
Jared Cole Oliva is an American professional baseball outfielder in the Seattle Mariners organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Henry Davis is an American professional baseball right fielder and catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball for the University of Louisville. Davis was the first overall selection in the 2021 MLB draft, and made his MLB debut in 2023.
Alfonso Rivas III is a Mexican-American professional baseball first baseman and outfielder in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, and Pittsburgh Pirates.