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KBO All-Star Song Sung-mun reportedly signs with San Diego Padres

Published: 20 Dec. 2025, 10:18

Kiwoom Heroes third baseman Song Sung-mun speaks after winning the Golden Glove award during the ceremony at Lotte Hotel World in Seoul on Dec. 9. [Yonhap]

Kiwoom Heroes star Song Sung-mun has reportedly signed with the San Diego Padres for his first major league contract.

Citing sources, multiple reports out of the United States on Friday claimed that he has agreed to a deal with the Padres, who had not yet confirmed the transaction as of this writing.

Song, having played for the Heroes in the KBO since 2015, was posted in November, making himself available for all 30 MLB clubs during a 30-day negotiating period. That window was set to close at 5 p.m. on Sunday, and Song departed Korea on Friday afternoon for the United States in an apparent move to finalize the deal.

If the contract is finalized, Song will become the sixth Heroes player to move to MLB, following Kang Jung-ho, who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Park Byung-ho for the Minnesota Twins, Kim Ha-seong at the Atlanta Braves, Lee Jung-hoo at the San Francisco Giants and Kim Hye-seong at the Los Angeles Dodgers. Song will also be the third Korean player in the National League West, joining Lee and Kim Hye-seong.

Song is represented by ISE Baseball, the same U.S. agency that sent Kim Ha-seong to San Diego prior to the 2021 season.

Song, 29, is a late-blooming All-Star who had his first breakout campaign in 2024, when he batted .340/.409/.518 and set career highs with 19 homers, 104 RBIs and 21 steals.

Song Sung-mun hits a single during the bottom of the first inning of an exhibition game against Japan at the Tokyo Dome on Nov. 16 [YONHAP]

This year, Song overcame a slow start to finish with a .315/.387/.530 line, 26 home runs, 90 RBIs and 25 steals. He also earned his first Golden Glove award at third base as the best overall player in his position and picked up his first KBO Fielding Award from the hot corner. He ranked second in the KBO with 6.84 wins above replacement.

Song, who bats left and throws right, is primarily a third baseman but has also spent time at second base and first base. He also played shortstop in high school and has said he could handle shortstop duties if asked in MLB.

KBO clubs receive a "release fee" if they lose a player to MLB through posting, and the amount will depend on the guaranteed portion of the player's contract.

The release fee is 20 percent of the first $25 million and 17.5 percent of the amount exceeding the next $25 million. For instance, if a player signs for over $50 million, then his former KBO team will receive $5 million for the first $25 million and $4.37 million of the next $25 million, plus 15 percent of the amount exceeding $50 million.

Yonhap