The Hanwha Eagles have signed free agent infielder Ahn Chi-hong. Here's what the club announced:

• Hanwha announced the signing of free agent infielder Chi-hong Ahn on the afternoon of Nov. 20. The contract is for 4+2 years for a total of 7.2 billion won.
• Four years of guaranteed money. Hanwha and Ahn will fulfill a contract totaling 5.5 billion won, including 4.7 billion won in guaranteed money and 800 million won in options.
• A mutual option will be triggered for the next two years of the contract, with both the club and player having a choice. If the contract is extended, it will be worth KRW 1.7 billion, including KRW 1.3 billion in guarantees and KRW 400 million in options, for two years.

Ahn began his career with the KIA Tigers after graduating from Seoul High School. He signed his first free agent contract with the Lotte Giants in 2020, where he played for four seasons before joining Hanwha as a second free agent.

Ahn is one of the most consistent players in the league. He batted .292 with a .374 on-base percentage and 63 RBIs in 121 games in 2023, and has a .297 batting average and .800 OPS in 1,620 career games. He was a first-time All-Star Game MVP as a high school rookie in 2009 and a three-time Golden Glove winner at second base (2011, 2017, 2018).

Hanwha will benefit from Ahn's signing by strengthening its batting lineup as well as its second and first base depth. First baseman Chae Eun-sung will play both right field and designated hitter, while Ahn will split time between first base and designated hitter as well as second base. With existing second baseman Jeong Eun-won unable to enlist in the military after next season, the team is also expected to fill the void. It's also expected to give Jeong a boost.

Ahn Chi-hong: "I will be an exemplary player and contribute to the team's leap forward"

After signing, Ahn Chi-hong said through the club, "I am happy to come to Hanwha and thank you for the great offer. I'm also happy that I was able to sign quickly, so I can prepare for next year with a fresh mind."

On why he chose Hanwha, Ahn Qihong said, "Hanwha gave me a good offer, which helped me make a quick decision. During the negotiation process, they emphasized why I was an essential part of the Hanwha Eagles. They emphasized how my arrival would fill in the gaps that the team had been lacking." "I also chose Hanwha because they have a lot of young players, so I knew I would have a lot to share as a veteran. It was a good match."

From the outside looking in, Ahn sees Hanwha as a team with "a lot of young guys who have a lot of ability but a little bit of inexperience." "They're going through a tough time right now, but I thought they definitely have a lot of potential. "They're going through a tough time right now, but they definitely have a lot of potential," he said, adding, "I felt like they had a lot of good players when I played against them, and now that I'm a part of it, I feel a lot of responsibility.He also left a message for his former team Lotte and Lotte fans. "For four years, I received undeserved love from Lotte fans. I'm very grateful to them from the bottom of my heart, and I'm sad that I won't be able to stay with them until the end, but I will keep the love of Lotte fans in my heart," he said in his farewell message.

In closing, Ahn Chi-hong said, "Watching the passionate support from Hanwha fans on the field, I thought a lot about how wonderful they are. I'm happy to be a part of Hanwha, and I'm looking forward to the new season with the fans on the field," he said, adding, "I will become a player who can fill in the gaps in our team and live up to the expectations and love of the fans."

"Ahn Chi-hong is a steady player with a high BQ," says Son Hyuk

"There was no reason for the club to hesitate to sign Ahn Chi-hong because he was a player with both 'steadiness and sincerity,' which are essential for our team," said Hanwha head coach Son Hyuk. "Fortunately, the player recognized our feelings and we were able to produce good results."

"An has played 13 seasons with more than 100 games since his debut in 2009, with a career OPS of 0.800. His batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage have never been down or up," said Son. "We really needed a steady player like him on our team, so we negotiated with him, and it turned out to be a good deal." 카지노사이트

"He is a player with a high BQ. Especially in batting, he has the ability to hit according to the situation. For example, when he needs to get on base, he focuses on getting on base, and when he needs to score runs, he is very good at hitting for the situation." "He also has proven leadership skills, so we were able to finalize the deal quickly because he is a player that many of the younger players on our team can learn from," added Son.

The first meeting between Hanwha and Ahn Chi-hong took place just yesterday (Nov. 19). "We needed to sign a free agent this season, so we had to move quickly. "He was a player we really needed, so we tried to fulfill his needs," said Sohn. "The first meeting on the evening of the 19th led to the signing. "He understood our team's situation and wanted to help, rather than put his own story in front of us. I think that's what really made the deal come together."

"It wasn't a long conversation, but I felt that Ahn Chi-hong would be more helpful to our team in terms of his veteran-like stability and his ability to communicate his opinions in a quiet way," said Son. "At the end of the negotiation, CEO Park Chan-hyuk was also present, and I think our sincerity was better conveyed to the player." "He will be utilized on the field, but it is clear that he will be of great help in many ways," said Son. "First of all, we expect our batting depth to be strengthened because he has shown consistency in his batting, without any ups and downs. He is a player who can do everything from batting second to supporting the back of the cleanup, so we expect him to create synergy with the new foreign players, Noh Si-hwan and Chae Eun-sung." "For defense, he can play not only second base but also first base depending on the situation, so I think he will have a wide range of applications."

Regarding additional free agent signings, Son said, "We've signed a foreign hitter and a free agent hitter, Ahn Chi-hong, so now we'll have to look at internal free agent Jang Min-jae. All possibilities are open, but we have a lot of work to do besides free agency, such as the secondary draft and the issue of foreign pitchers, so we plan to move cautiously from now on while watching the market situation."