The LG Twins of the Korea Baseball Organization announced that outfielder Austin Dean has been signed to a one-year contract. (Hat tip to Dan Kurtz of MyKBO.net.) Dean receives a $100K signing bonus and a $400K salary for the season, and another $200K is available in bonuses.
Dean (who turned 29 in October) heads to South Korea after 11 seasons in North American pro ball, beginning when he was a fourth-round selection for the Marlins in the 2012 draft. After making his MLB debut in 2018, Dean has seen some action in each of the last five Major League seasons, though his 98 appearances with Miami in 2018-19 represents most of his big league experience. The Marlins dealt Dean to the Cardinals in January 2020, and the outfielder has since only played in 28 MLB games. That includes three games with San Francisco in 2022, after the Giants claimed Dean off waivers from the Cards last offseason.
Over 365 career plate appearances in the Show, Dean has 11 home runs and a .228/.286/.390 slash line. Unfortunately for Dean, the dreaded “Quad-A” label may apply — while he hasn’t had much success in the majors, he has hit .301/.375/.508 with 45 home runs over 1134 PA at the Triple-A level. That production at least helped Dean get a few more looks in the big leagues, and it may bode well for him in the more hitter-friendly KBO League.
As noted by Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News, the LG Twins have now filled their three roster spots designated for non-Korean players. Dean joins right-handers Casey Kelly and Adam Plutko as the Twins’ international contingent, with Kelly returning for his fifth season with the Twins and Plutko his second.
Good for a paycheck, work yourself back in.
PS, stay away from the neighbors upstairs…
I really liked Austin.
Adam Plutko is the next Chris Flexen.
really really nice stats last year, some youth…
That’s great! The Twins could use some outfield help. Solid pickup!
Austin Dean. Sounds like he could be riding the range and telling them doggies to git along.
Or in the Milwaukee sausage race?
That’s Jimmy Dean guy to you mister
Or if you have to use the John, then it is Watergate.
Salad? No thanks that marshmallows been fluffed by a pineapple
More Hot Stove transaction news for the LG Twins
than the Minnesota Twins.
Part of what hurt his opportunity for the Marlins was apparently Mike Hill dodnt like him, as I was told by a front office person a few years ago. His biggest issue was his somewhat lack of a defensive position, though he had been improving
Dean machine! Dean machine! Dean machine!
Could see that chant regaining some popularity over there
More playing time for him and decent pay compared to being emergency depth