Kiwoom Heroes re-signed foreign hitter Addison Russell.

Kiwoom announced the return of infielder Russell on the 12th, announcing the completion of the composition of foreign players for the 2023 season. Russell, who joined Kiwoom as a substitute for infielder Taylor Motor in June 2020, will wear the Kiwoom uniform again in about three years.

After being named by the Oakland Athletics with the 11th overall pick in the first round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft, Russell was traded to the Chicago Cubs in July 2014 and made his major league debut in 2015. In 2016, he recorded 125 hits (21 home runs) and 95 RBIs in 151 games, was selected as a National League All-Star player, and contributed to the team’s World Series victory.

However, he was suspended for 40 games by the Major League Secretariat for assaulting his ex-wife in 2018, and after falling into a slump, he chose a new destination, the KBO League. Russell failed to renew the contract with 65 games, 2 homers, 22 points, and a batting average of 0.254 in Kiwoom in 2020, which he ambitiously joined. 토토

Afterwards, Russell played for Acereros de Monclova in the Mexican League, hitting 8 home runs in 66 games last year with a batting average of 0.319 OPS of 0.900. This year, he bombed the Mexican League with 24 homers, 0.348 OPS and 1.120 in 80 games. Kiwoom recruited Russell aiming for a rebound in his grades.

Outfielder Yasiel Puig, who played for Kiwoom this year, followed a similar route. Puig was selected as a National League All-Star in 2014 and created a lot of buzz as the Dodgers’ ‘wild horse’, but was labeled a ‘bad boy’ for his words and actions on and off the field and speed violations. In the end, he couldn’t find a new team from 2020, so he recorded 10 home runs, 43 RBIs, and a batting average of 0.312 in Aguilar de Veracruz in the Mexican League last year.

Puig, who joined Kiwoom with a lot of attention, was on the chopping block with a batting average in the mid-20% range in the first half of this season, but finished the season with 131 hits (21 homers) and 73 RBIs in 126 games, an OPS of 0.841, and a batting average of 0.277. Puig wanted to play in the KBO League, but Kiwoom gave up on renewing the contract after the season when issues related to illegal sports gambling broke out.

While looking for a new foreign player, Kiwoom checked Russell’s current status and decided to recruit him. After leaving his major league career, he found a player who wants to play a full season as a starter again. As Russell has been through the KBO league once, he seems to be eager to play, showing faster adaptability than Puig.

Russell said, “I am grateful to the club for giving me the opportunity to return to the Heroes. I will learn from the regrets of 2020 and prepare for spring camp in 2023. I already miss my colleagues and fans to meet again. Heroes this season I watched the process of challenging the Korean Series through social media, etc. I will be with my colleagues to win the Korean Series in 2020 and 2022,” he said.