Oh Ji-hwan (32)’s jackpot contract. And the rival infielder and friend of the Jamsil rival team already had a hunch. Heo Gyeong-min (32), a talented infielder of the Doosan Bears, acknowledged Oh Ji-hwan’s skills in advance by saying, “Congratulations.”
On the 19th, the LG Twins officially announced that “Oh Ji-hwan and the club have agreed to a multi-year contract. The contract is from 2024 to 2029, with a total of 12.4 billion won (10 billion won in guarantee, 2.4 billion won in options) for 6 years.”
Oh Ji-hwan graduated from Gyeonggi High School and joined the LG Twins in 2009 as the first choice. He participated in 1624 games in 14 seasons of the KBO League, and marked a batting average of 0.265, 146 home runs, 1466 hits, 745 RBIs, and 240 stolen bases.
Oh Ji-hwan was scheduled to acquire FA (free agent) status again after the 2023 season. If Oh Ji-hwan appeared on the market, a fierce recruitment war could break out. However, LG captivated Oh Ji-hwan early by offering him a multi-year contract. In the end, Oh Ji-hwan became the first multi-year contract in LG club history.
In a phone call with Star News after the announcement of the contract, LG general manager Cha Myung-seok said, “Oh Ji-hwan is a franchise star of LG and should be retired from the Twins. After the 2022 season, we offered Oh Ji-hwan a long-term contract. We have revealed this early on. There was no big difference in terms of the contract. Thanks to that, we were able to finish it well.”
In addition, Oh Ji-hwan recorded the highest ransom price for a shortstop in KBO League history. Previously, the largest contracts for shortstops were Kim Jae-ho (4 years, 5 billion won, Doosan) after the 2016 season, and Noh Jin-hyeok (4 years, 5 billion won, Lotte) after the 2022 season, but Oh Ji-hwan immediately surpassed them.
There was a friend who cheered for Oh Ji-hwan as if he already knew about his big contract. It is Heo Kyung-min, newly appointed captain of the Doosan Bears for the 2023 season. Prior to Oh Ji-hwan’s contract announcement, on the 16th, Heo Kyung-min praised Oh Ji-hwan, saying, “I told you a few years ago.
The two are the same age, born in 1990. 2008 U-18 (Under 18) World Youth Baseball Championship held in Edmonton, Canada. Since then, Heo Gyeong-min has grown into a representative third baseman in Korean baseball, and Oh Ji-hwan has grown into a shortstop. Heo Kyung-min won the 3rd baseman Golden Glove in the 2018 season. He is evaluated as the best defense in the KBO League. 메이저놀이터
Heo Gyeong-min also acknowledged Oh Ji-hwan. On the 16th, Heo Gyeong-min said, “I know that Ji-hwan Oh’s long-term contract is being talked about. I hope that some shortstop will receive an amount that is difficult to break in the future. He is such a capable player. The result proved it. I want to say congratulations.” was delighted with In the end, as Heo Kyung-min wished, Oh Ji-hwan signed a multi-year contract and smiled brightly.
After announcing the contract with Oh Ji-hwan, the LG club introduced Oh Ji-hwan as “the LG Twins franchise star as a one-club man” and said, “As a national shortstop, he is a player who sets an example for players not only in records but also in the locker room and dugout. This multi-year Through the contract, I look forward to focusing on the season in a more psychologically stable situation and making the best performance on the ground.”
After signing the contract, Oh Ji-hwan said through the club, “I am so grateful to the team for treating me well. It is a great honor to play for only one team as a player, and I am so grateful to the club for giving me the opportunity. I am also very grateful to the fans who always support me. I give it to you. I am well aware of the expectations of the club and fans. I will do my best to repay those expectations.”