Son Ah-seop (38) will remain with his original team, the Hanwha Eagles of Korea's professional baseball league.
The Hanwha Eagles announced Wednesday that they have signed Son, who was the last remaining free agent. "We agreed on a one-year contract worth 100 million won ($70,000)," the club said, adding that "Son's extensive experience and excellent batting skills will benefit the team."
The veteran, born in 1988, holds the KBO record for career hits with 2,618. After being traded from the NC Dinos to Hanwha in July last year, Son appeared in 111 regular-season games, posting a .288 batting average with one home run and 50 RBIs. He became a free agent after the season ended and was the last among this year's free agents to finalize his destination.
Following the signing, Son expressed his gratitude. "I thank the organization for choosing me again," he said. "I'll be joining spring camp a little late, but I've kept myself in good shape. I'll do my best in my role to help Hanwha soar high again in the 2026 season."
Son is scheduled to join Hanwha's Futures League (minor league) spring camp in Japan on Thursday.