Players signed to play overseas (2024)

[Padres]

Roenis Elías has re-signed with the SSG Landers of the Korea Baseball Organization.

Elías will earn $1 million in his new contract and will remain in Korea for at least one more season. The 35-year-old last appeared in the big leagues in 2022, posting a 3.52 ERA and 1.30 WHIP across seven appearances with the Mariners.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/roenis-elias/50382

[Padres]

Guillermo Heredia has re-signed with SSG Landers of the Korea Baseball Organization.

Heredia will take home $1.5 million in his new deal to remain in Korea for 2024. The 32-year-old outfielder last appeared in the majors in 2022 and has spent the last two seasons in Korea.

https://www.nbcsports.com/guillermo-her ... fd86bf021b

[Padres]

Victor Reyes has signed with the Lotte Giants of the Korea Baseball Organization.

Reyes will bring home $950,000 with his new contract with the Giants. The 29-year-old spent the 2023 season with the Triple-A affiliate of the White Sox, hitting .279/.330/.452 with 20 homers across 546 plate appearances, and will look to rebuild his value overseas.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/victor-reyes/50139

[Padres]

Enmanuel De Jesus has signed with the Kiwoom Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization.

De Jesus was removed from the Marlins’ 40-man roster this fall after posting an 11.37 ERA and 2.05 WHIP across two appearances for Miami. With his new contract with the Heroes, the 27-year-old will make $600,000 with $200,000 in incentives.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/enmanuel-de-jesus/65378

[Padres]

Outfielder Socrates Brito has re-signed with the Kia Tigers in the Korea Baseball Organization for the 2024 season.

It’ll be the third straight season that the 31-year-old outfielder has played for the Tigers. He’ll earn a total of $1.2 million. Brito enjoyed another outstanding season there in 2023 — slashing .285/.344/.463 with 20 homers, 96 RBI, 15 stolen bases and an 80/52 K/BB ratio across 608 plate appearances.

https://www.nbcsports.com/socrates-brit ... fd86bf0111

[Padres]

Kyle Hart has signed with the NC Dinos of the Korea Baseball Organization.

Hart made four relief appearances for the Red Sox during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign and has bounced around the upper minors ever since. The 31-year-old southpaw will make $900,000 overseas in 2024, which is considerably more than he would’ve made at the Triple-A level.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/kyle-hart ... fda5ec00d8

[Padres]

Jose Espada has signed a one-year, $700,000 contract with the Yakult Swallows of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

Espada re-signed with the Padres last month shortly after being non-tendered, but will head to Japan for 2024 rather than compete in spring training for a spot in San Diego’s bullpen. The 26-year-old righty made his big league debut back in September with the Padres.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/jose-espa ... ff19730224

[Padres]

Former Reds OF Henry Ramos signed with the Doosan Bears in the Korean Baseball Organization.

Ramos had 86 plate appearances for the Reds in 2023, hitting .243/.349/.311 with no homers, five RBI and a 21 strikeouts. His deal with Doosan is for $700K ($50K signing bonus, $550K salary, $100K incentives) and will return him to the KBO, where he played in 2022.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/henry-ramos/48518

[Padres]

Jesús Aguilar has signed a contract with the Seibu Lions of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

Aguilar began the 2023 season as the starting first baseman for the Athletics, but was released after hitting just .221/.281/.385 with five home runs and nine RBI in 115 plate appearances. He finished the season in Triple-A with the Braves’ organization but now will leave the United States to keep his professional career alive. At 33-years-old, we may not have seen the last of Aguilar in a big league uniform.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/jesus-aguilar/50118

[Padres]

Alex Dickerson has signed with the Chunichi Dragons of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

Dickerson spent this past season playing for the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League and also had a stint in the Mexican League. The 33-year-old outfielder, who had success earlier in his career with the Giants, got into 13 games for the Braves during the 2022 campaign, which was his last appearance in the big leagues. He’ll take his talents overseas to Japan for 2024.

https://www.nbcsports.com/alex-dickerso ... fd86be0050

[Padres]

Connor Seabold has signed with the Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization.

Jee-ho Yoo of Yonhap News Agency reports that Seabold’s contract will be a one-year deal that pays up to $1 million. The base is a $800,000 contract that will include a $100k signing bonus and another possible $100k available with incentives. The right-hander was a standout talent at Cal State Fullerton and he’s feasted on minor league competition for six seasons. Seabold boasts a 3.80 ERA in the minors with more strikeouts (392) than innings pitched (374 1/3). That has not translated to big league success, swallowing a 1-11 record in the MLB with an 8.12 ERA.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/connor-seabold/48421

[Padres]

Ariel Jurado has re-signed with the Kiwoom Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization.

Jurado will take home $1.2 million in 2024, and can earn an additional $100,000 through performance-based incentives. The 27-year-old righty, who hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since the pandemic-truncated 2020 campaign, posted a 2.65 ERA, 1.12 WHOP and 147/41 K/BB ratio across 183 2/3 innings (30 starts) this past season in his Korean debut.

https://www.nbcsports.com/ariel-jurado/ ... fd8d810048

[Padres]

James Dykstra has signed with the Lotte Marines of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

Dykstra heads overseas after spending the 2023 season in the independent Atlantic League, registering a 5.40 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, and 19/12 K/BB ratio over 21 2/3 innings. The 33-year-old spent time with the White Sox, Rangers, Blue Jays, and Phillies but never appeared in the major leagues.

https://www.nbcsports.com/james-dykstra ... fd5f2602fb

[Padres]

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that free agent right-hander Kyle Keller has signed with the Yomiuri Giants of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

Keller drew interest from several major league organizations this offseason, but has apparently opted to remain overseas for 2024. The 30-year-old righty has been one of the best relievers in Japan over the past two seasons, posting a sparkling 2.37 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 92/28 K/BB ratio across 76 innings (79 appearances) for the Hanshin Tigers. He’ll likely return to the big leagues at some point in the coming years.

https://www.nbcsports.com/kyle-keller/0 ... fd607f001f

[Padres]

Cody Ponce has signed with the Rakuten Golden Eagles of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball

Ponce made 20 appearances (five starts) for the Pirates from 2020-2021 and has spent the last two seasons pitching for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan.

https://www.nbcsports.com/cody-ponce/00 ... fd86bf02c8

[Padres]

Ricardo Sánchez has re-signed with the Hanwha Eagles in the Korea Baseball Organization.

The 26-year-old left-hander’s only big league experience came in three outings with the Cardinals during the truncated 2020 season. He made the move to the KBO in 2023 and posted a 3.79 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and a 99/28 K/BB ratio over 126 innings in his 24 starts. Perhaps he may return stateside if he has another solid showing in 2024.

https://www.nbcsports.com/ricardo-sanch ... fd8d81005f

[Padres]

Denyi Reyes has signed a one-year, $800,000 contract with the Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization.

Reyes, who can earn an additional $200,000 through performance-based bonuses in the deal, was removed from the Mets’ 40-man roster earlier this offseason and will take his talents overseas to Korea. The 27-year-old righty made a career-high nine appearances (three starts) this past season in the big leagues, but will earn considerably more in Korea.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/denyi-reyes/48508

[Padres]

Franmil Reyes has signed with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

Reyes’ gargantuan over-the-fence pop should play extremely well overseas in Japan, but his future remains a bit clouded after washing out in the big leagues last year with the Royals when he posted a calamitous .519 OPS with two homers in 19 games before being released in early May. There’s a chance he gets another look in the big leagues if he excels in Japan.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/franmil-reyes/50446

[Padres]

Wil Crowe has signed a one-year, $600,000 contract with the Kia Tigers of the Korea Baseball Organization.

The deal also includes a $200,000 signing bonus and up to $200,000 in additional performance-based incentives. The 29-year-old righty was an effective high-leverage reliever for the Pirates prior to last year’s injury-marred campaign where he made just five appearances before landing on the injured list for good with right shoulder discomfort. He’ll aim to rebuild his long-term value overseas in Korea.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/wil-crowe/49209

[Padres]

Anderson Espinoza has signed with the Orix Buffaloes of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

Espinoza was universally-regarded as one of the top pitching prospects in baseball last decade, but his career wound up being derailed due to injury. The 25-year-old righty will look to rebuild his long-term value overseas in Japan after logging seven relief appearances for the Cubs back in 2022. He spent all of last year at Triple-A El Paso in the Padres’ minor league system.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/anderson-espinoza/50259

[Padres]

Cody Thomas has signed with the Orix Buffaloes of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

Thomas was removed from Oakland’s 40-man roster back in August after getting into 29 games for the Athletics over the last two years. The 29-year-old outfielder holds a .250/.308/.333 triple-slash line with one homer and two RBI across 78 plate appearances in the big leagues. He’s performed well at the Triple-A level the last few years, which means he’ll probably exceed expectations overseas in Japan.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/cody-thomas/50120

[Padres]

Anthony Kay has signed with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

Kay heads overseas to Japan after splitting last year between the Cubs and Mets, posting an inflated 6.14 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 11/9 K/BB ratio across 14 2/3 innings (16 appearances). The 28-year-old lefty was a first-round pick of the Mets back in 2016.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/anthony-kay/50085

[Padres]

Matt Davidson has signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the NC Dinos of the Korea Baseball Organization.

Davidson spent last year with the Hiroshima Carp of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. The 32-year-old slugger last appeared in the big leagues back in 2022 when he got into 13 games between the Diamondbacks and Athletics.

https://www.nbcsports.com/matt-davidson ... fd80250321

[Padres]

Andre Jackson has signed with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

Jackson was released by Pittsburgh a few weeks ago to pursue an opportunity overseas and has finally landed a deal to pitch in Japan. The 27-year-old righty made 19 appearances (seven starts) this past season between the Pirates and Dodgers.

https://www.nbcsports.com/mlb/andre-jackson/48922

[Padres]

Nivaldo Rodriguez has signed a contract with the Fubon Guardians of the Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan.

The 26-year-old right-hander was once a top prospect in the Astros’ organization, but really struggled in his last few seasons of affiliated minor league ball. He spent the 2023 campaign in the Mexican League where he registered a 2.76 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and an 84/20 K/BB ratio over 94 2/3 innings in his 17 starts. He then made an additional 10 starts in the Venezuelan Winter League. Perhaps a strong season overseas could open some new opportunities for him stateside.

https://www.nbcsports.com/nivaldo-rodri ... fda5ec00c9