A total of 20 KBO League players exercised their free agent rights after the end of the 2024 season. Seo Geon-chang, who had negotiated with his original team, recently signed a contract with the KIA Tigers for 1+1 year and Ha Joo-seok with the Hanwha Eagles for 110 million won per year. Thus far, 17 free agents have signed autographs.토토사이트

Currently, Lee Yong-chan (36), Kim Sung-wook (32), and Moon Sung-hyun (34) remain uncontracted in the FA market. Lee Yong-chan and Kim Sung-wook played for the NC Dinos until last year. Since the opening of the FA market in November, the NC club has said that "re-signing the internal FA is the top priority." However, the position that "overpay cannot be done" is also solid.

FA negotiations tend to be more advantageous to the club over time. Some teams showed interest in Lee Yong-chan and Kim Sung-wook earlier, but they did not reach a contract. Since each team is about to leave the spring camp at the end of this month, the possibility of non-FA contractors moving to other clubs is even slimmer. 

At the end of February 2023, outfielder Kwon Hee-dong signed an FA contract with his original team NC, receiving a maximum of 125 million won per year, far below the player's expectations. The later the contract is, the more disadvantageous will it be to the player. 

An NC team official said, "We are negotiating with Lee Yong-chan and Kim Sung-wook in the new year."

With his 19th year in the professional league, Lee recorded 11 wins, 19 losses, five holds, 83 saves, and an earned run average of 3.72 in 215 games during his four-year career with the NC Dinosaurs. However, he performed poorly last year with three wins, nine losses, 16 saves, two holds and an earned run average of 6.13. The hit rate (0.353) and the on-base allowed rate per inning (WHIP: 1.90) are quite high.

Coincidentally, Lee Yong-chan suffered the worst slump before qualifying for FA this year, following his 2020 (8.44 ERA) when he was a member of the Doosan Bears. The strict transfer conditions (grade B), which require him to give up 100% of the previous year's salary and one compensation player other than 25 protected players, are also holding him back.

In the FA market this winter, bullpen pitchers such as Jang Hyun-sik (LG Twins), Noh Kyung-eun (SSG Landers) and Kim Won-joong (Lotte Giants) received favorable treatment. However, veteran Lee Yong-chan failed to join the team. 

Lee Yong-chan remained as an FA Mia even when he first qualified as an FA, and signed a three-plus-one-year maximum of 2.7 billion won with NC in mid-May 2021. This precedent seems to be affecting this negotiation as well. As he is in his mid-30s, his position has narrowed even further than four years ago. 

Kim Sung-wook, who joined NC Dinosaurs in 2012, played in 962 games with a batting average of 0.238 with 78 homers and 293 RBIs. He also had 17 homers in 129 games last year. However, his batting accuracy (batting average of 0.204) fell too low. He also had more strikeouts (79) than walks (31). The low on-base-plus-slugging ratio (0.291) was another weakness. 

Lee Ho-joon, the new NC manager, hopes that the two players will stay. Lee once said, "(Lee) Yong-chan can still do well as a starting pitcher." He has also revealed his plan to use the team as a starting pitcher, not a bullpen, if he signs a contract with NC. Kim Sung-wook ranked second in homers in his team after Matt Davidson, the king of homers (46 homers) last year. He is said to have wide range of applications, as he has defense capability and main focus in keeping with his slugging capability.

NC will leave for Arizona, USA, the venue of the first spring camp, on the 30th. Lee Yong-chan and Kim Sung-wook do not have much time left. Lim Sun-nam, NC's general manager, said, "We are exchanging opinions with the two players. It is difficult to predict when the contract will be made," adding, "If a contract is not made within this week, it is not easy to leave for camp with the main team."