Pitcher Erick Fedde, formerly a top prospect, is gaining attention from MLB teams after playing in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) with the NC Dinos in 2023.
Fedde's early MLB career with the Washington Nationals was challenging, with a high ERA of 5.41 in his appearances from 2017 to 2022.
In 2023, he moved to the KBO and delivered an outstanding season. He made 30 starts, pitched 180 1/3 innings, and finished with an impressive ERA of 2.00.
Fedde's performance in the KBO included a high strikeout rate of 29.5% and a low walk rate of 4.9%. He also excelled at getting ground balls, with a remarkable 70% ground ball rate.
His exceptional season in the KBO earned him the Choi Dong-won Award, which is comparable to the Cy Young Award in MLB, given to the best starting pitcher in the league each year.
Fedde's return to the MLB free-agent market is generating significant interest, with many teams curious about his potential.
The track record of North American pitchers returning from Korea varies, making it hard to predict how Fedde will perform, but his standout 2023 season and his history as a top prospect make him an appealing option for MLB clubs.
While top MLB pitchers like Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Aaron Nola, and Jordan Montgomery are likely to secure lucrative contracts.
Contracts given to pitchers returning from Korea in the past have ranged from a two-year, $5.5 million deal to a three-year, $9.125 million plus incentives contract.
As the MLB offseason unfolds, all eyes are on Erick Fedde's next move, with teams eager to add his talents to their rosters.