Two-Way Prospect Eom Jun-sang Signs $1.5 Million Deal with MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks

Two-way prospect Eom Jun-sang (Duksu High School) has bypassed the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) rookie draft to pursue a career in Major League Baseball (MLB).

The Arizona Diamondbacks announced today (June 17) that they have signed Eom to a contract with a signing bonus of $1.5 million (approximately 2.26 billion KRW).

According to Rico Sports Agency, Eom's agency, the player visited Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona—the home of the Diamondbacks—on this day to meet manager Torey Lovullo and big-league players, and held an official introductory press conference.

"It is a true honor to be able to challenge myself on the Major League stage, which has been my dream," Eom said. "I am grateful to the Arizona Diamondbacks organization for giving me this great opportunity."

He added, "As I still have much to improve, I will prepare and learn harder than anyone else. I will repay this opportunity by growing step by step and eventually standing on the big-league stage."

Rico Sports Agency described Eom as a shortstop prospect with reliable defense, extensive range, and a strong throwing arm. He is highly regarded for his growth potential on both sides of the ball, possessing both power and contact hitting ability.

MLB.com introduced Eom as a shortstop with solid defensive skills who has also excelled as a pitcher. The report noted that he throws a fastball with a top speed of 153 km/h (95 mph) and an average speed of 146–148 km/h (91–92 mph), along with a slider reaching 140 km/h (87 mph) and a split-finger fastball in the 120 km/h (75 mph) range.

Standing 184 cm (6 feet) tall, Eom is a right-handed hitter and thrower. Over his three years at the prestigious Duksu High School, he recorded a career batting average of .341 with 7 home runs and 70 RBIs.

As a pitcher, he posted a 5-3 record with a 1.19 ERA over the past two years.

In 53⅓ innings, he struck out 52 batters while allowing only 6 walks.

If Eom makes his big-league debut, he will become the second Korean player to play for the Diamondbacks, following Kim Byung-hyun.

Prior to Eom, right-handed pitcher Park Chan-min of Gwangju Jeil High School paved the way for MLB entry last month by signing as an international amateur free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies for a $1.205 million signing bonus.

Additionally, Kim Seong-jun, a pitcher and infielder from Gwangju Jeil High School who also plays both ways, signed with the Texas Rangers in May of last year for a $1.2 million signing bonus.

(Photo: Courtesy of Rico Sports Agency, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.