Here’s a look at KBO’s foreign player lineups for the 2026 season
With the Korean Baseball League's 2026 season set to begin March 28, all 10 teams have now locked in their foreign player lineups, setting the stage for how the standings could shake out in the upcoming season.
Here are some notable signings on the 2026 roster of foreign players.
Top earners
The highest-paid non-Korean set to play in the league next year is pitcher James Naile for the Kia Tigers. The 32-year-old has agreed to a one-year extension with the team, worth $2 million, including a $200,000 signing bonus, $1.6 million in salary and $200,000 in incentives.
Naile was one of the KBO's most reliable arms this season, going 8-4 with a 2.25 ERA over 27 starts, which was the league's second best. He also logged a career high of 164 1/3 innings and 152 strikeouts.
In his KBO debut season in 2024, the American led all qualified pitchers with a 2.53 ERA and played a key role in the Tigers’ successful Korean Series championship run.
Another top earner is Austin Dean for the LG Twins. The reigning South Korean baseball champions have re-signed with the first baseman for one more season. The 32-year-old, who has been with the team since 2023, will earn $1.1 million in salary, $300,000 in incentives and $300,000 in a signing bonus.
In 395 games across three seasons, the Texan has been one of the KBO’s most consistent sluggers, batting .315 with 464 hits, 86 homers and 322 RBIs. He led the league with 132 RBIs last year and won back-to-back Gold Gloves as the best overall player in his position.
Freshmen of 2026 KBO season
Starting next year, each team is allowed to add one Asian- or Australian-born player to its standard three foreign signings. The Asian quota players must have played in Asia or Australia the previous season, with total costs capped at $200,000, including salary and signing bonuses.
Among the freshmen joining the KBO under the new quota is right-handed pitcher Shota Takeda, who signed with the SSG Landers. The 32-year-old Japanese player agreed to a one-year contract worth $200,000, bringing an end to his 12-year run with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.
Known for his 44 career MLB home runs, Sam Hilliard is a new addition to the KT Wiz. He agreed to a one-year contract worth $1 million.
Drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 15th round in 2015, the 31-year-old American outfielder played in Colorado from 2019–22 and again in 2024–25, with a one-season stop with the Atlanta Braves in 2023.
Other notable signings
The Kia Tigers turned to Australia to fill their new Asian quota spot, signing Jarryd Dale for $150,000.
A well-traveled infielder at just 25, Dale has reached Triple-A with the San Diego Padres and spent time in Australia and Japan. He also hit .297 with two home runs and 14 RBIs in 41 games last season while playing in the Orix Buffaloes’ farm system.
Notably, Dale's baseball roots run deep. His father, Phil, was an Australian national team pitcher, a US minor leaguer and the pitching coach behind Australia’s silver-medal finish at the 2004 Olympics.
Daz Cameron, who newly signed with the Doosan Bears for $1 million, also comes from a baseball family. He is the son of former MLB All-Star and three-time Gold Glove-winning outfielder Mike Cameron. His father played 17 seasons in the MLB for eight different teams, including the Seattle Mariners, New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers.
Panamanian right-hander Ariel Jurado, who has inked a deal worth up to $1.7 million with the Samsung Lions, has played for two KBO teams. Before joining the Lions in 2025, he played for the Kiwoom Heroes in 2023 and 2024. This year, Jurado paced the KBO with 197 1/3 innings, three complete games and 23 quality starts, while finishing fourth in wins with 15 wins and a 2.60 ERA.
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