PITTSBURGH– The Pirates are adding a Korean shortstop prospect to their minor league system.
The team has signed 18-year-old Korean shortstop prospect Ji-Hwan Bae to a deal worth $1.25 million, according to MLB.com.
Bae was one of 12 prospects the Atlanta Braves were forced to relinquish in September after the team was found to be in violation of international signing rules.
When the Braves had signed Bae, a Braves special assistant was quoted as saying that Bae is very athletic and has the ability to be a plus defender with good “bat-to-ball skills.”
The assistant said that “if everything clicks”, Bae can be the left-handed hitting version of Washington Nationals’ shortstop Trea Turner.
