Wil Crowe of the Pittsburgh Pirates in action during inter-league play against the Chicago White Sox on Opening Day at PNC Park on April 7, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
Right-handed pitcher Wil Crowe signed with the Korean Baseball Organization’s Kia Tigers for 2024.
Crowe’s deal is worth $1 million and includes a signing bonus of $200,000, an annual salary of $600,000, and an option of $200,000, the team announced on their X account on January 6.
Crowe, 29, was born in Kingston, Tenn., and has played in Major League Baseball the last four seasons with the Washington Nationals in 2020 and the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2021-23.
Crowe was drafted by the Nationals in the second round of the 2017 MLB June Amateur Draft and signed on July 7, 2017, for a $946,500 signing bonus after his junior season at the University of South Carolina.
Last season in Pittsburgh, Crowe split his time with the Pirates, Low-A Bradenton, and Triple-A Indianapolis. With Pittsburgh, Crowe appeared in five games out of the bullpen, posting a 0-1 record with a 4.66 ERA and throwing 9.2 innings, recording one save and allowing nine hits, five earned runs, one home run, walking nine batters, and striking out nine. He was placed on the 60-day injured list on April 29, 2023 with shoulder discomfort in his throwing arm.
Crowe returned on July 2, 2023, with a rehab assignment in Low-A Bradenton. At Low-A Bradenton, he made three appearances and one start, posting a 2-0 record and throwing 3.1 innings without allowing an earned run, allowing two hits, one walk, and striking out two before being promoted to Triple-A Indianapolis on July 14.
Crowe spent the rest of the 2023 season in Indianapolis, appearing in 14 games and making two starts, throwing 27 innings with a 1-1 record and a 4.33 ERA. He allowed 32 hits, 13 earned runs, three home runs, 13 walks, 30 strikeouts, and a 1.667 WHIP before he was released on Nov. 16, 2023.
During the 2022 season, Crowe posted a 6-10 record with a 4.38 ERA in 60 appearances with Pittsburgh, throwing 76 innings and allowing 68 hits, 37 earned runs, 38 walks, 68 strikeouts, and a 1.395 WHIP.
In his four seasons in MLB, Crowe has a 10-21 record with a 5.30 ERA in 210.2 innings and 94 appearances. He’s made 29 starts and earned five saves, allowed 217 hits, 124 earned runs, 39 home runs, 112 walks, 196 strikeouts, and a 1.562 WHIP.
According to Baseball Savant, Crowe’s four-seam fastball tops out at 93.6 mph. His slider was clocked at 87.9 mph with a 22.6 whiff percentage.
All 10 clubs will begin their training camp during the middle of January for the 2024 KBO regular season, which will start on March 23. The 2024 KBO regular season will have the 10 teams play 144 games.
The Kia Tigers will play their first game of the 2024 season on March 23 against the Kiwoom Heroes at home at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in Gwangju, South Korea.