Former Oakland A’s corner infielder Ryon Healy is heading to the Korean Baseball Organization as he has signed with the Hanwha Eagles.
The past few years have not been kind to former Oakland A’s corner infielder Ryon Healy. Once viewed as the potential answer at the hot corner for the A’s, injuries and defensive issues have taken a toll on his career. He became an afterthought with the Mariners before being released this past season, and appeared in a total of four regular season games with the Brewers this year.
Now looking to resurrect his career, Healy is following the path that so many other have taken. He is set to sign with the Hanwha Eagles in the KBO.
#KBO signing: Ryon Healy (formerly with #Athletics, #Mariners and #Brewers) has signed with the Hanwha Eagles. One-year deal worth up to $1 million ($500,000 salary, $300,000 signing bonus, $200,000 in incentives). First-year foreign players can only sign one-year deals in KBO.
— Jeeho Yoo (@Jeeho_1) December 6, 2020
This move makes tremendous sense for Healy. He was likely looking at a minor league deal at best stateside, with an invite to spring training. Instead, he has the potential to make up to $1 million in the KBO, money that he likely would not have seen had he remained in affiliated ball.
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Healy had success during his time with the A’s. In his two seasons in Oakland, he had produced a .282/.313/.475 batting line with 38 homers and 49 doubles over his 888 plate appearances. While he still hit for power after his trade to the Mariners, his production otherwise cratered. He was still hitting the ball hard and making contact, but the results were not there.
That may change in the KBO. Healy has obvious flaws, such as his 4.7% walk rate. His defense has also been a disaster, as he has cost his teams 22 runs in just 152 games at third, and cost his teams another 14 runs in 183 games at first. While he may never be a Gold Glove caliber infielder, he could improve with his time spent in Korea.
And that is really the goal. A dominant season in the KBO, especially if Healy shows that he has improved his patience at the plate and his defense. If that happens, he still has plenty of time to become a solid major league regular.
But first, he will need to prove that in the Korean Baseball Organization. Former Oakland A’s corner infielder Ryon Healy will look to resurrect his career with the Hanwha Eagles.