Free-agent catcher/first baseman Wilin Rosario has signed with the Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization, tweets Jee-ho Yoo of Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. The Team One Management client will earn $1.3MM with the Eagles, per Yoo, who notes in a full column that the Eagles have announced the signing. Rosario’s winter league team had previously tweeted that he was expected to sign with a Korean team, though no details as to which team were included at the time.
Rosario, who will turn 27 late next month, saw a significantly reduced role with Colorado in his final year with the team. After belting 49 home runs across his first two full seasons in the league, questions about his glove seemingly cut his role with the Rockies. Rosario batted .277/.311/.484 from 2012-14, but he saw just 242 plate appearances in Colorado last season, nearly all of which came at first base. Rosario caught only two games last year due to perceived defensive deficiencies. While Rosario has thrown out a solid 28 percent of attempted base-stealers against him in his Major League career, he caught just 16 percent in 2014 and rated near the bottom of the league in terms of pitch-framing metrics in 2013 and 2014.
Defensive question marks notwithstanding, it’s still somewhat surprising to see Rosario’s bat land overseas. As a hitter with plenty of pop in his bat and in the midst of his prime-aged years, however, it’s easy enough to envision Rosario thriving in the hitter-friendly KBO. He’ll join former Rockies teammate and fellow Dominican Republic native Esmil Rogers on the Eagles’ roster in Korea.
Guess other teams thought he doesn’t have enough pop for a dh on a major league team.
Well look at Alvarez. Also unsigned. All they can do is hit for power. Teams have evolved to value all aspects of the player’s game and one dimensional players aren’t getting paid.
Then why is there still a DH in the AL? One dimensional players are definitely getting paid ala David Ortiz
Wait a minute David Ortiz is an amazing hitter, Rosario isn’t.
At the end of Rosario’s age 26 season he totaled 71 hrs.
At the end of Ortiz’s age 26 season he totaled 59 hrs.
Both Rosario and Ortiz had nearly the same low .270’s career batting averages after their age 26 seasons.
When Chris Carter, Trumbo, Morneau and Gattis can find steady work there must be something about Rosario that turns off MLB GM’s that we obviously can’t see.
Are you really comparing Rosario to Ortiz? Ortiz is probably going to be a Hall of Famer. Rosario’s numbers are certainly inflated due to Coors field. Furthermore, even at Coors Field his highest OBP in a year is .315 which pathetic. And Rosario’s last two years he hasn’t even been a regular. So if you think he will have the same career post age 26 they that’s pretty ridiculous. He playing in Japan. Chris Carter is more of a stop gap for the Brwers and he has more power and better defense and walks a lot more. Gattis had a down year from a much better 2014 and what do you want the Astros to do? Release him? Trumbull has the ability to play the outfield and first base and can both left and right handed pitching something Rosario can’t. Morneau is still a free agent and is a better hitter. I’m not saying none of them will get paid, I’m saying teams are shifting their focus towards multidimensional players and there are less jobs now for Rosario types which makes sense since he went to Japan.
With the lack of catching depth around the league it seems worst case he could have got 1-2 million to play as a backup and dh in the AL. Even a minor league deal if he batted .275 at AAA he would have been called up in no time. Good luck to him
Guy pops 27 HRs in a season and isnt worth even a 1 year deal as a DH/1B backup?
Good point. Not being picky – it was 28 homers in less than 400 AB. But downhill from there. Ah, Colorodo
He’s a short-side platoon DH. Yeah he can hit a ball a mile, but there are plenty of other options out there and few teams platoon their DH (most use the position as a way to rest their position players).. He’ll go hit 40 bombs a year in Korea and be back in a year or two.
well you gotta think – is the roster space he is going to take worth it because he is a below avg defender at 1b and was a terrible catcher – normally your bench should be stacked defensively rather than offensively considering that you are usually oing to insert them as late inning guys
The thing is he can’t do that anymore. His power numbers have fallen through the floor over the last few seasons.
That leaves Taylor Teagarden as the top free-agent catcher left on the boards. If your team has no depth, it’s too late….
Carlos Corporan is still out there. But yeah, the catching market is bleak at this point.
Taylor Teagarden – blackballed like Barry since 2015.
So if Rosario had more success than Thames in MLB and Thames won the KBO MVP… Then Rosario should hit .400 average with 50 HR
His feelings must have been really hurt after Dodgers radio guys said he has the mobility of . traffic cone at 1B…..yes that was said on air during the game…
It’s only mean if it isn’t true. It is true.