Left-handed pitcher Hyeon-jong Yang, who started the 2019 WBSC Premier12 championship game for the Korean National Baseball Team, has signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB).
His contract's minor league status means that he will need to work his way onto the 26-man MLB roster during Spring Training.
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The Rangers previously bid for Yang in 2014. The bids were rejected and the southpaw returned to Korea.
The 32-year-old started three games for Korea at the WBSC Premier12 2019. He posted a 2-1 record and had a 3.07 earned run average over 14.2 innings of work. He allowed 15 hits and 5 walks while striking out 21.
In Korea, Yang spent his whole professional career (2007-2020) with the Kia Tigers of the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO, WBSC Associate Member). He appeared in 425 games, starting 324. He posted a 3.83 earned run average and a 147-95 win-loss record. He pitched 1,986 innings, allowing 1,940 hits and 795 walks, while striking out 1,673.
