Seoul: The Kiwoom Heroes announced Monday they have signed their captain, Song Sung-mun, to a six-year contract extension. This decision likely rules out the player's potential move to Major League Baseball (MLB).
According to Yonhap News Agency, the extension, worth 12 billion won (US$8.7 million) in guaranteed money, will keep Song with the Heroes until the 2031 season. The signing ceremony took place at a Seoul hotel following Sunday's game, with Song's wife and parents in attendance.
The Heroes have confirmed that this is the most lucrative multiyear contract awarded to a non-free agent position player in Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) history. Song, who turns 29 later in August, was drafted by the Heroes in 2014 and made his KBO debut the following year. Despite not becoming an everyday player until 2019, Song spent all of 2020 and the first part of 2021 fulfilling his military service duty.
Song's breakout campaign came in 2024, when he set career highs across the board with a .340/.409/.518 line, 19 home runs, 21 steals, and 104 RBIs. Overcoming a slow start to this season, he is currently batting .297/.377/.483 through 104 games, with 16 homers, 16 steals, and 57 RBIs.
Song began attracting attention from MLB scouts last year. Initially, he expressed doubts about his ability to play in MLB, stating he would remain in Korea. However, in June this year, Song slightly shifted his stance, stating he would consider a move to the majors if the right opportunity arose.
With this new six-year deal, Song would have been eligible to be posted for MLB teams after this season. However, he will now be 35 by the time he next has the opportunity to sign with a major league team. Song expressed gratitude towards the club, stating, "I will try to be a positive influence for my teammates. I will wear the name of the team with pride and reward our fans with my best effort in every game."
The Heroes began preparing for a multiyear extension for Song at the start of this year. "We felt he was going to be an essential part of our mid- to long-term plans," the club stated. "We made our offer in April and went back and forth over finer points of the deal. We fully accepted the player's demands during our negotiations."
Heroes CEO Wie Jae-min remarked that with the free agency market expected to heat up this winter, his cash-strapped club had to "make a strategic and careful decision." He added, "This contract represents a massive investment from the club's perspective, and that's indicative of the level of our trust and expectations in the player. To realize our mid- and long-term plans, signing Song Sung-mun to an extension was a must."