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KT Wiz sign ex-mlb player Sam Hilliard, rounding out their foreign player allowance

Published: 04 Dec. 2025, 13:58

New KT Wiz player Sam Hilliard signs his contract with the Korea Baseball Organization club on Dec. 4. [YONHAP]

The KT Wiz announced their signing of former mlb player Sam Hilliard on Thursday to complete their foreign player picture for the new season.

The Wiz said Hilliard, 31, agreed to a one-year contract worth $1 million — with $700,000 in salary and a signing bonus of $300,000.

Hilliard was selected in the 15th round of the 2015 draft by the Colorado Rockies and played there from 2019 to 2022, and again from 2024 to 2025. He was with the Atlanta Braves in 2023.

In 332 career major league games, Hilliard has a .218 average with 44 home runs, 107 RBIs and 26 steals.

In 376 games in Triple-A, including 91 this year, Hilliard put up a .275 batting average with 93 homers, 282 RBIs and 60 steals.

The Wiz described Hilliard, who bats and throws left, as a line drive hitter with good bat speed, and a quality defender at both first base and in the outfield.

Throughout his professional career, Hilliard has logged times at first base and all three outfield positions.

The Wiz have now signed all four allowed foreign-born players for the 2026 KBO season, including one Asian quota player.

They previously acquired two new American pitchers in Matt Sauer and Caleb Boushley, and Japanese pitcher Koki Sugimoto. They closed last season with Enmanuel De Jesus and Patrick Murphy as their foreign pitchers and Andrew Stevenson as their foreign hitter.

Yonhap