Kiwoom Signs Home Run King Davidson After NC Release; Waives Wiles

Matt Davidson, the foreign hitter recently released by the NC Dinos, will continue his professional baseball career with the Kiwoom Heroes.
The Kiwoom club announced today (June 29) that they have requested the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) to place foreign pitcher Nathan Wiles on waivers and have submitted an application for the transfer of Davidson's contract.
The club explained the decision, stating, "Davidson is scheduled to join the team on July 4. While our starting rotation has become competitive with Raul Alcantara, Ha Young-min, An Woo-jin, Bae Dong-hyun, and Park Jun-hyun, we pursued the signing of Davidson to address our shortcomings in offensive power."
Kiwoom will now operate with two foreign hitters, Keston Hiura and Davidson.
Under the KBO's waiver transfer regulations, Kiwoom will be responsible for paying the remainder of the annual salary (1.3 million USD) that Davidson had contracted with NC.
Davidson is a powerful hitter who joined NC in 2024 and claimed the home run title that year with 46 home runs.
Last year, he served as a key hitter for NC, recording a batting average of 0.293 with 36 home runs and 97 RBIs.
This season, he posted solid numbers with a 0.290 batting average, 8 home runs, and 40 RBIs in 63 games, but was released on June 26 following a decision by the NC club.
On June 26, the day he was notified of his release, Davidson volunteered to play in the home game against Kiwoom at Changwon NC Park, showing his commitment until the very end.
At the time, Davidson shed tears at the support from home fans, and teammates such as Park Kun-woo were also seen tearing up.
Meanwhile, Kiwoom currently sits in last place this season with a record of 27 wins, 51 losses, and 1 draw, for a winning percentage of 0.346.
The team ranks last in batting average (0.231), total home runs (45), slugging percentage (0.328), and on-base percentage (0.311).
The released pitcher, Wiles, struggled this season, recording 0 wins and 4 losses with a 5.40 ERA in 5 games.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.