Samsung Lions participant Choi Hyoung-woo, left, poses with the membership’s basic supervisor Lee Jong-yeol after signing with the Korea Baseball Group membership, Wednesday. Courtesy of Samsung Lions
The best run producer in Korean baseball historical past is returning to the membership the place all of it started greater than twenty years in the past.
The Samsung Lions introduced Wednesday they’ve signed the 41-year-old slugger Choi Hyoung-woo to a two-year contract value 2.6 billion gained ($1.77 million), together with incentives, in free company.
Choi, the all-time chief in Korea Baseball Group (KBO) historical past with 1,737 RBIs, first performed for the Lions and their minor league affiliate from 2002 to 2005, and once more from 2008 to 2016. Choi went on to spend the subsequent 9 seasons with the Kia Tigers and determined to rejoin the Lions to complete out his illustrious profession.
Choi, who turns 42 in two weeks, can be the KBO’s profession chief with 543 doubles and 4,426 complete bases. He’s second general with 2,586 hits and 1,197 walks, and third with 419 dwelling runs and 1,365 runs scored.
Choi has remained productive into his 40s. This 12 months, he launched 24 dwelling runs, his most in 5 years, and knocked in 86 runs. His batting common (.307), slugging share (.529), doubles (30) and runs (74) have been all his greatest marks since 2020.
The left-handed slugger provides depth to an already harmful Lions crew that led the KBO in dwelling runs in every of the previous two seasons whereas enjoying at hitter-friendly Daegu Samsung Lions Park within the southeastern metropolis of Daegu. The Lions additionally had the very best crew slugging share this 12 months at .427, with first baseman Lewin Diaz, the 2025 MVP runner-up, main the best way by hammering 50 dwelling runs and driving in a league-record 158 runs.
Their lineup additionally boasts a perennial All-Star in Koo Ja-wook, a profession .318 hitters who constantly ranks among the many leaders in hits, doubles, runs and batting common, and a pair of rising younger stars in Kim Younger-woong and Lee Jae-hyeon, who each have flashed game-changing energy. They’ve contact-oriented speedsters on the prime of the lineup with Kim Ji-chan (.281 common and 22 steals in 2025) and Kim Seong-yoon (.331 common and 26 steals in 2025).
Since Daegu Samsung Lions Park opened in 2016, no crew has blasted extra dwelling runs than the Lions’ 1,517. Their quick left subject porch is taken into account splendid for Choi, who put up large numbers in his lone season on the stadium in 2016. That 12 months, Choi led the league with profession highs of .376 batting common, 144 RBIs, 195 hits and 46 doubles. Choi additionally had the very best on-base plus slugging in 2016 with 1.115 — because of a .464 on-base share and a .651 slugging share.
In a message relayed by the Lions, Choi stated he was trying ahead to “a brand new starting” together with his outdated crew.
“I do know the crew will need me to be the chief for the crew and do my half on the sector,” Choi stated. “I’ll put together myself to just do that. I’m actually blissful to be going again. It is going to be quite a lot of enjoyable in Daegu.”
Requested about his aim for 2026, Choi stated, “I do not go into a brand new season with statistical targets. My solely goal is to assist the Samsung Lions win a championship.”
“I believe the Lions should turn into a fair higher offensive crew subsequent 12 months,” Choi added. “I need to take advantage of what I can deliver to the desk and assist the crew win.”
Choi helped the Lions win 4 consecutive Korean Collection titles from 2011 to 2014, and picked up two extra championship rings with the Tigers in 2017 and 2024.
Choi was chosen by the Lions within the sixth spherical of the 2001 draft as catcher. However he solely logged eight plate appearances mixed throughout his first stint — six in 2002 and two in 2004 — and spent the vast majority of his time within the Futures League, the KBO’s minor league. The Lions launched him after the 2005 season.
Whereas Choi was finishing his necessary navy service within the Futures League by enjoying for the nationwide police crew, the Lions brass seen marked enhancements by Choi, who by then had transformed to an outfielder. They introduced him again earlier than the 2008 season, and Choi rewarded the Lions by changing into the oldest winner of the Rookie of the 12 months award at age 24 with 19 dwelling runs, 71 RBIs and a .276/.364/.487 line in 126 video games.
Choi has reached double figures in dwelling runs and performed in over 100 video games in each season since then.
