WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 27: Yasiel Puig #66 of the Cleveland Indians returns to the dugout after fielding during the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on September 27, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Former MLB outfielder Yasiel Puig has signed a one-year contract with the KBO’s Kiwoom Heroes.
Yasiel Puig has not played in the MLB since the end of the 2019 season. Now, he is set to play in the Korean Baseball Organization next season.
According to Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News, Puig has signed a one-year deal with the Kiwoom Heroes. The deal is worth $1 million, which is the maximum amount for first-year foreign players, per Yoo.
Yasiel Puig signs one-year deal with KBO’s Kiwoom Heroes
Puig had not played in MLB since the 2019 season when he was a member of the now-Cleveland Guardians, after being acquired by the Cincinnati Reds. The outfielder was on the verge of signing with the Atlanta Braves back in 2020, but the deal fell through after he tested positive for COVID-19.
Puig spent the 2021 season with El Águila de Veracruz of the Mexican League, where he recorded a .312 batting average, a .926 OPS, 10 home runs and 43 RBI in 62 games, per Baseball Reference.
Recently, Puig settled a sexual assault lawsuit stemming from an incident back in 2018.
Puig began his MLB career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where spent the entirety of six seasons. He was named the runner up for the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2013 and was named an All-Star in 2014. Prior to the 2019 season, he was traded to Cincinnati. At the trade deadline, he was sent to Cleveland.
In his seven-year career, Puig slashed .277/.348/.475 while recording 132 home runs, 415 RBI and 834 hits.
Puig will now be suiting up with the Heroes in the KBO for the upcoming season.