The Pirates have signed former Braves prospect Ji-Hwan Bae, as John Dreker and Tim Williams of PiratesProspects.com recently reported (subscription link). The well-regarded young shortstop, a recent international signee from Korea, will earn a bonus worth around $1.25MM.
The addition of Bae means the Pirates have spent roughly $5.25MM of their available $5.75MM pool space for the 2017-18 signing period, MLB.com’s Adam Berry notes. He received the second-largest bonus the organization has ever given to a prospect, trailing only right-hander Luis Heredia, whom the Bucs handed $2.6MM back in 2010. Heredia is now a free agent.
The 18-year-old Bae had been property of the Braves from this past September until November, when Major League Baseball took him and 11 other prospects from the Atlanta organization because of international signing violations. Thanks in part to those transgressions, MLB hit ex-Braves general manager John Coppolella with a lifetime ban.
Bae joined the Braves for $300K, but they reportedly had an under-the-table agreement to pay him an extra $600K. After Atlanta signed Bae, special assistant Chad MacDonald offered high praise for the lefty-swinger.
“He’s very athletic. He stays at shortstop, he’s going to be a solid to plus defender there. His bat-to-ball skills are really good. There’s more power in the bat,” said MacDonald. “If everything clicks, we have a left-handed version of Trea Turner, who I signed in San Diego. Again, maybe not that much power, but certainly the impact speed and defense, with bat-to-ball skills and a left-handed hitter.”
Bae lol
I don’t get it
Bae is what you say to those you love. It means “before anyone else”.
For instance: Scott Boras is Bae.
Bacon and eggs yo
Pretty sure it came from misspelling “babe”, but I gotta admit “before anyone else” is funny
Bacon and eggs gets my vote!
“Before anyone else” is much more appropriate.
Using “Bacon and eggs” for Bae, is the same as using “lots of love” for Lol.
Lol.^^
This had me dying!! Lol
A plus for this comment in context.
This is the most interesting comment section in weeks
Dont comment then.
Does he have any DUI’s ? Any drinking problems ?
Speaking of which what happened to jung ho kang
still cannot get into the US legally… i hear though if he can play in games in about a dozen cities ( bad sanctuary city joke)
he Is drinking a somewhere
Baeeee
#BAE
I love Bae ❤️
another Korean short stop… hopefully this one is able to stay available to play
Bae is a savage last name, and the possibilities are endless.
Yes.
Bae is bae
Did he collect on the 600k? If so, that’s a solid $2 million in bonuses as an 18 year old.
A left handed version of Trea Turner sounds pretty good…
From what I’ve seen in various scouting reports his speed and bat to ball skills seem to be widely praised. I’m thinking more of a Billy Hamilton that can actually get on base and play a decent shortstop more so than a Trae Turner. Very excited the bucs got him.
As soon as I saw this I knew all the comments would be about his last name.
no relation to Jason Bae?
Hahahaha
anyone hear anything about what level he will start at?
opening day SS.
My guess is he stays in extended spring training and starts in the gulf coast league. No real source though, just my expectation.
GCL, per Pirates Prospects.
Funny, Pirates Prospects reported this signing two weeks ago and Bae has been in minor league camp since a day or two after that. Took MLBTR a while to pick this up.
Technically he never signed with the Braves. The contract was never ratified by MLB.
I wonder if this one is a drunk.
Random funny Pirates anecdote…
I’m not sure if this was an odd error or if someone at MLB Network has a great sense of humor, but in their 1 hour special on the 70’s Pirates, in his caption Greg Brown is referred to as “Team Mascot.”
I always thought Brown was the play by play guy and the Parrot was the mascot, but then I remembered the Parrot was the team pharmacist, so maybe Brown is the official mascot.
keep him away from jung ho!