The Philadelphia Phillies have signed right-hander Chan-min Park, a 17-year-old from South Korea.
Park’s deal with the National League East club is a seven-figure deal, Joe Doyle of Over-Slot Baseball wrote Tuesday on X. To finalize the agreement, the Phillies used a portion of the international bonus pool money they received in a trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers last week, sending right-hander Griff McGarry to the Dodgers.
“Park (6-3, 205) is up to 94 and can really spin it,” Doyle wrote on X. “He’s got four pitches and a polished operation/strikes. FB, SL, CB, CH/SPL.”
Given his young age, Park likely remains years away from stepping foot on a Major League field. Philadelphia will probably send him to its rookie complex in Clearwater, Fla.
As of today, Park does not have a Baseball Reference page, so how he’s fared on the mound in recent years at Gwangju Jeil High School in South Korea is little-known. However, there are bound to be additional scouting reports on the youngster in the coming months.
Why would the Phillies would make this move? Hundreds of amateur prospects sign contracts with MLB organizations each year during the international signing period, which began on Jan. 15 and runs until Dec. 15.
Many amateur players don’t pan out. The Phillies are hoping that’s not the case with Park. His development will take time and patience, but there’s not much to lose and lots to potentially gain with this move.
Photo: General view of Citizens Bank Park during the third inning of a baseball game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Milwaukee Brewers, Tuesday, May 4, 2021, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
