It pays to play in the KBO: Bears catcher Yang Eui-ji top earner with $2.8M this season

Doosan Bears catcher Yang Eui-ji will earn the second-highest annual salary in KBO history this season, with a salary of 4.2 billion won this year.

Doosan Bears captain Yang Eui-ji delivers remarks during the team’s 44th anniversary ceremony at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa District, southern Seoul, on Jan. 15. [YONHAP]

Doosan Bears catcher Yang Eui-ji will be the KBO's top earner this season, with the second-highest annual salary in league history.

According to salary data for the 2026 season released by the league on Thursday, Yang will earn 4.2 billion won ($2.8 million) this year, trailing behind SSG Landers pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun’s 8.1 billion won in 2022.

Yang signed a four-year deal with a two-year option with the Bears worth up to 15.2 billion won in November 2022. His annual salary rose from 300 million won in 2023 to 500 million won in 2024 and 1.6 billion won in 2025, before jumping to 4.2 billion won this year.

The increase of 2.6 billion won marks the largest salary hike in KBO history, surpassing the previous record set by the Landers' Han Yoo-seom’s 2.22 billion won in 2022. It also breaks the record for the highest-salaried player in his 21st season, previously held by the Landers' Choi Jeong at 1.7 billion won last year.

Kim signed a four-year, 15.1 billion won deal as a nonfree agent with the Landers in 2022 after returning from MLB. Of that, 8.1 billion won — 62 percent of the guaranteed 13.1 billion won — was paid in the first year to avoid violating a salary cap set to be introduced the following season.

KT Wiz's Ko Young-pyo pitches in the bottom of the fourth inning with two outs during the World Baseball Classic quarterfinal against the Dominican Republic at LoanDepot Park in Miami on March 13. [YONHAP]

Following Yang, KT Wiz pitcher Ko Young-pyo ranks next at 2.6 billion won, followed by the Landers’ Choi at 2.2 billion won. Hanwha Eagles pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin and Lotte Giants pitcher Park Se-woong are tied at 2.1 billion won.

The average salary for 529 KBO players — excluding foreign and rookie players — reached a record 175.36 million won, up 9.1 percent from last year’s 160.71 million won. NC Dinos pitcher Koo Chang-mo posted the largest increase rate, with his salary jumping from 100 million won to 900 million won, an 800 percent rise.

Samsung Lions outfielder Choi Hyoung-woo, born Dec. 16, 1983, became the first player in KBO history to receive a salary in his 25th season, earning 400 million won.

Six players set new records for highest salaries by years of service, including Eagles infielder Roh Si-hwan and Lions pitcher Won Tae-in, both in their eighth seasons with salaries of 1 billion won.

By team, the Landers ranked first in average salary at 207.83 million won, followed by the Bears at 207.76 million won and LG Twins at 200.94 million won. The Wiz ranked fourth, followed by the Lions, Giants, Eagles, Kia Tigers, Dinos and Kiwoom Heroes.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY BAE YOUNG-EUN [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]