KT Wiz announced a contract renewal with Wes Benjamin following William Cuevas and Mel Rojas Jr., completing the lineup of foreign players for the 2024 season. It is evaluated that KT has formed an ‘all-time best’ foreign trio.
On the 12th, the KT club officially announced, “We have renewed a contract with foreign player Wes Benjamin for a total of $1.4 million.” Benjamin, who entered the KBO League as a replacement for William Cuevas in May of last year, will wear the KT uniform for three consecutive years.
Benjamin appeared in 17 games in 2022, went 96⅔ innings, recorded 5 wins, 4 losses, and an average ERA of 2.70. And this season, he pitched 160 innings in 29 games, recording 15 wins, 6 losses, and an ERA of 3.54, and appeared as a starting pitcher in the second and fifth games of the playoffs against the NC Dinos, leading the team to advance to the Korean Series. In the Korean Series against the LG Twins, he started Game 3 and allowed 4 runs in 5 innings. 카지노사이트
KT general manager Na Do-hyeon said, “Benjamin is a left-handed pitcher who has already been proven in the KBO League, and we hope that he will become the starting pitcher next season as well.”
KT previously signed a new contract with Cuevas worth a total of $1.5 million, announcing that they will accompany Cuevas for six consecutive seasons.
Cuevas, who first joined KT in 2019, appeared in 30 games that year and recorded 13 wins, 10 losses, and an average ERA of 3.62.
In 2020, he left with a record of 10 wins, 8 losses, and an earned run average of 4.10 in 27 games. In 2021, he played a key role in KT's first integrated victory since its founding.
In the regular season, he played 23 games and 133/1 inning, with a record of 9 wins, 5 losses, and an average ERA of 4.12.
In particular, he made a remarkable contribution on the road to the Korean Series. Cuevas started in the second game of the doubleheader against the NC Dinos on October 28, 2021 and became the winning pitcher with 2 runs in 7 innings and 108 pitches, then rested for only two days and took the tiebreaker for first place against the Samsung Lions on the 31st.
climbed the mound for And on this day, he pitched 99 pitches and allowed no runs in 7 innings, helping KT win 1-0, leading the team to its first regular season win. Cuevas also started in Game 1 of the Korean Series and earned a win by allowing 1 run in 7⅔ innings.
Cuevas successfully renewed his contract after the season, but had to leave the team after two games due to an elbow injury. 1 win, ERA 2.45. Benjamin filled that position. And this year, he pitched in 11 minor league games for the LA Dodgers' Triple A Oklahoma City Dodgers, recording 2 wins, 2 losses, and an ERA of 6.14, and later returned to KT as a replacement for Bo Schulser.
This year, Cuevas announced a ‘brilliant return’. He pitched 114⅓ innings in 18 games, achieved 12 wins without a single loss, an earned run average of 2.60, and won the winning percentage title with a 100% winning percentage.
This is the third time in history that he has won the winning percentage title, which is based on 10 wins in a season, as 'undefeated', after Oh Bong-ok (13 wins) in 1992 and Kim Hyun-wook (10 wins) in 2002.
In addition to the 'one-two punch' of Cuevas and Benjamin, '2020 MVP' Mel Rojas Jr. returns. On the 7th, KT officially announced the return of Rojas along with the renewal of Cuevas' contract.
Rojas joined KT as a replacement for Johnny Monell in June 2017 and successfully settled in the KBO League. In 83 games in his first season, he had 101 hits, 18 home runs, 56 RBI, and 52 runs scored and had a batting average of .301, and in 2018, he appeared in all 144 games and had 172 hits, 43 home runs, 114 RBI, 114 runs, and a batting average of .305.
In 2020, he continued his performance with 168 hits, 24 home runs, 104 RBI, 68 runs, and a batting average of 0.322 in 142 games. In 2020, in 142 games, 192 hits, 47 home runs, 135 RBI, 116 runs, and a batting average of 0.349, he won four league batting awards including home runs, runs scored, batting average, and slugging percentage.
He was the first KT player to win the regular season MVP. He also won the Golden Glove Award in the outfield category for two consecutive years in 2019 and 2020.
After finishing the 2020 season, Rojas moved to the Hanshin Tigers of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), but in 2021, his first year on the Japanese stage, he performed poorly with 41 hits in 189 at-bats in 60 games, a batting average of 0.217, 8 home runs, 21 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.663.
The following year, he also left behind expectations with 41 hits in 183 at-bats in 89 games, a batting average of 0.224, 9 home runs, 27 RBI, and an OPS of 0.732.
Rojas' NPB career records include 82 hits in 372 at-bats in 149 games, a batting average of 0.220, 17 home runs, 48 RBIs, and an OPS of 0.697.
In the end, Hanshin notified Rojas that his contract could not be renewed, and Rojas, who left Japan, continued his career as a player in the Mexican League and Dominican Winter League before returning to KT.
General Manager Na Do-hyun explained the background to the reunion with Rojas, saying, "I watched Rojas consistently even when he played in other leagues. I judged that he still had competitiveness. Since he came to a familiar team, I expect that he will be able to display his skills."
He also added, "Cuevas has already proven his skills and is in good physical condition, so we pushed for a renewal of his contract. We look forward to him playing the role of an ace next season as well."
In the case of Rojas, the team gave good evaluations to his personality and chemistry with other players. General manager Na Do-hyun reflected, "When he first came to the team, he had great desperation.
To adapt to the league, he voluntarily made special hits at night and sought help from coaches, showing his efforts on his own."
He continued, "Because of that process, his performance improved over time. His work style is excellent. Our players really like Rojas. Bae Jeong-dae also went to meet Rojas this time. I'm sure everyone will welcome him wholeheartedly." did.
In this way, KT retained 'King of Wins' Cuevas and 'Second in Most Wins' Benjamin, and brought back 'MVP' Rojas, forming a 'historical' foreign trio with super speed.
Currently, KT is the only one among the 10 teams that has completed recruiting foreign players. Cuevas, Rojas, and Benjamin are scheduled to join the spring camp held in Gijang, Busan next February.
This season, KT had a difficult start, staying in last place at the beginning of the season, but gradually rose to second place and advanced directly to the playoffs and even reached the Korean Series stage.
Expectations are high on whether KT, which had a somewhat disappointing end despite having a great season, will be able to rise to the top again in 2024 with three foreign players.