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Kang Jung-ho working out with Brewers' Triple-A team, minor league deal reportedly in tow

All News 10:18 August 17, 2019

SEOUL, Aug. 17 (Yonhap) -- Recently released by the Pittsburgh Pirates, South Korean infielder Kang Jung-ho has begun working out with the Milwaukee Brewers' Triple-A affiliate, with a minor league deal having been reportedly signed.

NBC Sports reported on Saturday (local time) that the Brewers acquired the 32-year-old third baseman/shortstop on a minor league contract, without disclosing the deal's length or financial terms. Earlier, San Antonio-based journalist Joe Alexander tweeted photos of Kang working out with the Brewers' Triple-A club, San Antonio Missions, before their game on Thursday at Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium in San Antonio, Texas.

The Brewers said Kang has not signed a contract yet, but they acknowledged that he is training with the Missions.

This photo, captured from journalist Joe Alexander's Twitter page, shows South Korean infielder Kang Jung-ho working out with the San Antonio Missions, a Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, at Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium in San Antonio, Texas, on Aug. 15, 2019. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

This photo, captured from journalist Joe Alexander's Twitter page, shows South Korean infielder Kang Jung-ho working out with the San Antonio Missions, a Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, at Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium in San Antonio, Texas, on Aug. 15, 2019. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Kang was released by the Pirates on Aug. 4, severing their ties with a hard-hitting infielder to whom they'd given a second chance after his legal trouble in South Korea. Kang had slumped to a .169/.222./.395 line in 65 games this year with 10 home runs and 24 RBIs. He struck out 60 times in 172 at-bats.

Kang was arrested and convicted for fleeing the scene of a drunk driving accident in Seoul in December 2016. Unable to obtain his U.S. work visa, Kang missed the entire 2017 season and only played in the final three regular season games in 2018.

His four-year deal with the Pirates expired at the end of 2018, but the club signed him as a free agent on a one-year deal worth US$3 million, plus up to $2.5 million in performance bonuses.

Kang led the majors with seven home runs in spring training but he failed to duplicate that level of production in the regular season.

The Pirates designated him for assignment on Aug. 2 and released him outright two days later to make him a free agent. Rather than packing it up and heading back to the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), where he'd been an All-Star shortstop, Kang decided to stay in the United States for another crack in the bigs.

The Brewers entered Friday's action at 63-58, one game behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the National League (NL) Central lead and one game out of the second wild card spot, held down by NL Central rivals, Chicago Cubs.

The Brewers have sorely lacked offensive punch from the third base and shortstop positions, a void that Kang could fill if he can regain the stroke that saw him belt 15 home runs as a rookie in 2015 and 21 more in 103 games in 2016. Through Thursday's games, the Brewers were worst in the NL in on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) from both their third basemen and shortstops with .668 and .611, respectively.

When Kang was cut, he was 15th in baseball in average exit velocity with 92.2 miles per hour, ahead of more accomplished hitters like J.D. Martinez of the Boston Red Sox and Cody Bellinger of the Los Angeles Dodgers. But Kang also had a batting average on balls in play (BABIP) of only .184, an atypically low number that likely means even when Kang made good contact, those balls went right at fielders for hard groundouts, lineouts or flyouts. The MLB average on BABIP is .299, and Kang had a .273 BABIP in 2016.

If Kang lands with another big league team, the Pirates will still owe him the remainder of his salary for this season. The new club will only have to pay Kang a pro-rated portion of the MLB minimum, which is $550,000 this year.

This photo, captured from journalist Joe Alexander's Twitter page, shows South Korean infielder Kang Jung-ho working out with the San Antonio Missions, a Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, at Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium in San Antonio, Texas, on Aug. 15, 2019. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

This photo, captured from journalist Joe Alexander's Twitter page, shows South Korean infielder Kang Jung-ho working out with the San Antonio Missions, a Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, at Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium in San Antonio, Texas, on Aug. 15, 2019. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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