Twins agree to terms with Korean star Park

Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota Twins announced today that they have agreed to terms with first baseman/designated hitter Byung Ho Park on a four-year contract, with a club option for the 2020 season. The deal includes $12,000,000 in guaranteed salary with Park earning $2,750,000 in 2016 and 2017, $3,000,000 in 2018 and 2019, and a $6,500,000 club option in 2020 with a $500,000 buyout.

                    Park, 29, batted .343 (181-for-528) with 35 doubles, 53 home runs, 146 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 140 games for the Nexen Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization last season.  Park led the league in home runs and RBI and ranked second in runs (129), OPS (1.150) and slugging percentage (.714).

Over parts of nine seasons in the KBO, Park played in 868 games with a .281 career average, 137 doubles, 604 RBI and 210 home runs, including hitting 105 home runs over the last two seasons.  The right-handed hitting Park will look to become the 18th Korean born player to reach the major leagues.