Players signed or apparently signed to play overseas in 2019

[Padres]

Joe Wieland has signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Kia Tigers of the Korea Baseball Organization.

That's more guaranteed money than he would have been able to fetch on MLB's free agent market this winter. Wieland, a former top prospect who's been involved in several different trades over the years, holds a 6.32 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, and 39/19 K/BB ratio in 52 2/3 career big league innings. The 28-year-old right-hander will probably get a chance to work as a starter in the KBO.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/5883/joe-wieland

[Padres]

Pierce Johnson signed a free agent contract with the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball.

He announced the move himself on Twitter. Contract terms have not been released. He pitched for the Giants as a rookie in 2018, notching a 5.56 ERA in 37 relief outings. He registered a sub-par 36:22 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 43 2/3 innings. The Giants outrighted him off their 40-man roster in November and he opted for free agency. The 27-year-old will take the paycheck from Hanshin and perhaps build up his resume for an eventual return to the majors.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/7509/pierce-johnson

[Padres]

Christian Bethancourt has agreed to a one-year contract with the NC Dinos of the Korea Baseball Organization.

Bethancourt got $1 million guaranteed, which is probably more than he would have found on the MLB open market this winter. The 27-year-old catcher spent the 2018 season with the Triple-A affiliate of the Brewers and posted a strong .834 OPS with 20 home runs in 104 games. But he stands as a .222/.252/.316 career hitter in 489 major league plate appearances.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/624 ... ethancourt

[Padres]

Jake Thompson has agreed to a deal with the Lotte Giants of the Korea Baseball Organization.

Thompson had a 4.96 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, and 14/11 K/BB ratio in 16 1/3 innings of relief this past season with the Phillies. The former top prospect should get another chance to work as a starting pitcher in the KBO. He's only 24 years old, so we wouldn't rule out an eventual return to Major League Baseball.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/7786/jake-thompson

[Padres]

Jefry Marte has signed with the Hanshin Tigers of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

The Angels removed Marte from their 40-man roster last month and he's ultimately found a better opportunity overseas. The 27-year-old is a career .222/.288/.407 hitter across parts of four big league seasons.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/5437/jefry-marte

[Guardians]

Seth Frankoff has agreed to a new one-year, $1.1 million contract with the Doosan Bears of the Korea Baseball Organization.

He'll get a $50,000 signing bonus and can earn another $80,000 in performance incentives. Frankoff finished 18-3 with a 3.74 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 134/55 K/BB ratio in 149 1/3 innings (28 starts) last year for a Doosan team that went 93-51 during the regular season before falling to the SK Wyverns in the Korean Series.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/9497/seth-frankoff

Carlos Asuaje to the Lotte Giants
The Rangers have officially sold the contract of infielder Carlos Asuaje to the Lotte Giants

https://www.lonestarball.com/2018/12/19 ... tte-giants

[Padres]

The Doosan Bears of Korea have signed Jose Miguel Fernandez to a one-year deal for 2019.

This is probably best for Fernandez. He was an excellent player in Cuba as a second baseman, but he hadn't looked like an option at his old position since arriving in the U.S. and his bat wasn't going to get him a job as a first baseman or DH. The 30-year-old hit .267/.309/.388 in 116 at-bats for the Angels last season.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/7995/jose-fernandez

[Padres]

Ryan Cook agreed to a one-year, $1.3 million contract with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball.

The 31-year-old hurler regained his impressive strikeout rate (12.2 K/9) in 17 innings with the Mariners in 2018, but an inflated home run rate led to a less than impressive ERA. He'll look to get his career back on track overseas before possibly returning to the big leagues in 2020.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/6786/ryan-cook

[Padres]

According to Robert Murray of The Athletic, the Orix Buffaloes of Japan's Pacific League have purchased the contract of right-hander Tyler Eppler from the Pirates.

Eppler, 26, was a fourth-round pick of the Pirates back in 2014. He's spent the last two years at the Triple-A level, including a 3.59 ERA over 25 starts and three relief appearances in 2018. Now he'll try this luck overseas.

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/9323/tyler-eppler