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Longtime minor leaguer Trenton Brooks lands in KBO in search of 'something different'

Published: 25 Mar. 2026, 12:42

KBO baseball player Trenton Brooks swings in a game at the Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa District, southern Seoul, on March 23. [YONHAP]

After spending most of the past five seasons in Triple-A and not enough time in the majors, Trenton Brooks decided it was time for a change.

And that desire for a change of scenery landed him in Korea, where he will be playing for the Kiwoom Heroes in the KBO on $700,000. He can make another $150,000 in incentives.

“Truly, I wanted to try something different,” Brooks told Yonhap News Agency on Monday before a preseason game against the LG Twins at the Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. “I've been in Triple-A for five years, and I've gone up and down [between the minors and the majors] for two years. I was excited for a different experience.”

Brooks made his major league debut with the San Francisco Giants in 2024, but he only played 12 games then. He signed with the San Diego Padres as a free agent after that year and logged 25 games with the Friars in 2025. In those 37 career games, Brooks had one homer, three RBIs and 19 strikeouts in 72 at-bats, with a .136/.208/.212 line that doesn't scream a big league hitter.

In the highest rung of the minor leagues, though, it has been a different story. Brooks put up a strong .275/.388/.491 line with 15 home runs and 68 RBIs in 90 games in Triple-A for the Padres last year. The year before that in the Giants system, Brooks batted .302/.410/.453, while hitting 10 homers and driving in 58 runs in 94 Triple-A games.

Brooks seemed to be a classic “Quadruple-A” player, someone who is considered too good for Triple-A but has trouble putting it together in the majors. And KBO clubs have signed their fair share of such players over the years.

With the KBO preseason having ended on Tuesday and the regular season starting on Saturday, Brooks said he was eager to help the Heroes, who occupied the KBO's cellar in each of the past three seasons, regain some respectability.

Fans cheer during a preseason game between the Doosan Bears and the KIA Tigers at the Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa District, southern Seoul, on March 22. [YONHAP]

“[Regular season] games mean something, right? And the whole purpose of being out on the field for that specific day is to win the ball game,” Brooks said. “That's always fun when your whole team is pulling together and trying to win a ball game. So that's what I'm most looking forward to.”

The Heroes have said Brooks can play first base and all three outfield positions — something he did for a few years in the minors. They have described him as a hitter with good plate discipline and gap power.

And Brooks did display some of those qualities during spring training. He batted .306 (11-for-36) in 12 preseason games and drew eight walks in 44 plate appearances en route to posting an elite on-base percentage of .432.

Brooks only managed three extra-base hits, all of them doubles, and the Heroes would certainly like to see more pop from their new import.

And power will likely come once Brooks adjusts to KBO pitching.

While with the Padres' Triple-A club in 2025, Brooks was teammates with three former KBO players: Hanwha Eagles outfielder Yonathan Perlaza, who is back with the KBO team this year after first playing for them in 2024; ex-KT Wiz pitcher Wes Benjamin; and former NC Dinos starter Kyle Hart. Brooks said he also had “a good conversation” with LG Twins pitcher Anders Tolhurst, though the two never played together in the minors.

But none of them could prepare Brooks for the types of pitches he would face in the KBO.

“All the splitters and forkballs,” Brooks said with a smile when asked about his “Welcome to the KBO” moment. “Oh, my gosh, you don't have this many of these in the United States. Not quite. Hopefully, I don't get one too hard [in the regular season].”

Yonhap