The Major League Baseball (MLB) secretariat has requested an identity check on left-handed pitcher Ham Deok-ju (28).
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) said on Tuesday, “We received a request from the MLB Secretariat for an identity check on LG Twins’ Ham Deok-ju and informed them that the player is a free agent (FA) and can sign a contract with any team, including overseas teams.”
Korean players looking to go overseas must receive a background check request from a U.S. or Japanese professional baseball team before they can be officially contacted.
In some cases, this does not lead to an actual offer.
Ham Deok-ju has yet to publicly announce his intention to play overseas.
Ham began his professional career with the Doosan Bears in 2013 before being traded to LG ahead of the 2021 season.
He struggled with injuries in 2021 and 2022, but this year, he appeared in 57 games with a 4-4 record, 16 saves, and a 1.62 ERA. He also pitched well in the Korean Series, allowing one run on three hits in four and a third innings, earning a save.
In 397 career regular-season games, Ham has a 35-21 record, 59 saves, 49 relief appearances, and a 3.50 ERA.
He is eligible for free agency after the 2023 season, and has been in the spotlight as LG closer Ko Woo-seok pushes for a move to the major leagues through a non-public competitive bidding process.
Korean baseball organization LG has also started negotiations with Ham Deok-ju. 슬롯