Denyi Reyes of the New York Mets pitches during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Citi Field on August 30, 2023 in New York City. Reyes signed with the Samsung Lions in South Korea for 2024. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
By Matthew Tallarini
World Baseball Network
Dominican right-handed pitcher Denyi Reyes signed with the Samsung Lions for the 2024 Korean Baseball Organization season for $800,000, including up to $200,000 in incentives, Yoo Jee-ho of Yonhap News Agency reported on Thursday.
Reyes, 27, was born in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic, and played in Major League Baseball with the Baltimore Orioles in 2022 and the New York Mets in 2023.
Last season, Reyes split his time between Triple-A Syracuse and the Mets. Reyes went 0-2 with the Mets and posted a 7.78 ERA, throwing 19.2 innings in nine appearances and three starts, allowing 25 hits, 17 earned runs, three home runs, eight walks, 17 strikeouts, and a 1.678 WHIP.
At Triple-A Syracuse, Reyes went 2-3 with a 5.79 ERA in 20 appearances and 18 starts, throwing 91.2 innings and allowing 97 hits, 59 earned runs, 24 home runs, 33 walks, 72 strikeouts, and a 1.418 WHIP.
Reyes made his MLB debut for the Baltimore Orioles against the Detroit Tigers on May 13, 2022. In his first MLB season, Reyes threw 7.2 innings with a 2.35 ERA in three appearances and one start, allowing eight hits, two earned runs, one walk, and three strikeouts.
Reyes played in 17 games in 2022 at Low-A Delmarva, High-A Aberdeen, and Triple-A Norfolk and posted a 1-7 record with a 6.60 ERA, throwing 60 innings in 17 appearances and 12 starts, recording one save, allowing 77 hits, 44 earned runs, 13 home runs, nine walks, 61 strikeouts, and a 1.433 WHIP.
Reyes has played three seasons in the winter leagues from 2020-23 with the Leones de Escogido of LIDOM. He has a 0-5 record with a 5.81 ERA in nine games and seven starts, throwing 26.1 innings and allowing 28 hits, 17 earned runs, three home runs, eight walks, 17 strikeouts, and a 1.291 WHIP.
In his nine seasons at all levels in MLB, the minor leagues, and the winter leagues, Reyes has a career record of 47-38 with a 3.80 ERA in 170 games and 113 starts, throwing 741.2 innings and allowing 718 hits, 313 earned runs, 85 home runs, 137 walks, 639 strikeouts, and a 1.153 WHIP.
According to Baseball Savant, Reyes’ four-seam fastball topped out at 91.8 mph last season, and his sinker sits at 91 mph. His slider averages 78.5 MPH with a 40% whiff rate.
The Samsung Lions had a 61-82-1 record and finished in eighth place during the 2023 season, missing the KBO playoffs.
All 10 KBO clubs will begin their training camp during the middle of January for the 2024 season, which will start on March 23. The 2024 KBO regular season will see the 10 teams play 144 games.
The Samsung Lions will play their first game of the 2024 season against the KT Wiz on March 23 on the road in Suwon, South Korea, at Suwon Baseball Stadium.