▲ Doosan Bears' new foreign batter, Yairo Munoz
The Doosan Bears of the KBO League have signed Dominican switch-hitting infielder Yairo Munoz as their new foreign player.
The club announced on Thursday, "Severino is a type of hitter who produces strong contact from both sides of the plate based on an excellent swing mechanism. We expect him to contribute to the team's offensive productivity in clutch situations," adding, "He is scheduled to join the team after completing administrative procedures."
Standing 183 cm tall and weighing 85 kg, Severino recorded a .242 batting average, 34 home runs, 111 RBIs, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of .770 over 197 games in Triple-A, the highest level of Minor League Baseball.
This season, he played for the Olmecas de Tabasco in the Mexican League, posting a .340 batting average, 5 home runs, and 44 RBIs with an OPS of .931 in 54 games. Severino joins the Doosan Bears for a total of $200,000 (including a $100,000 transfer fee).
The Doosan Bears released foreign batter Daz Cameron on June 29.
The decision was made as the team saw greater potential in outfielders Kim Min-seok and Ryu Seung-min, and determined that reinforcement was needed at the first and third base positions.
Doosan manager Kim Won-hyung had previously requested that the club look for a player capable of playing both first and third base.
On the same day, Doosan officially signed pitcher Wes Benjamin to a contract worth $450,000.
Benjamin joined the Doosan Bears in April as a short-term replacement for Chris Flexen, who was sidelined due to an injury.
So far, he has recorded 4 wins and 6 losses with a 2.66 ERA in 13 appearances.
He has also achieved 8 quality starts (at least 6 innings pitched with 3 or fewer earned runs allowed).
(Photo courtesy of Doosan Bears, Yonhap News)
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.