SEOUL – South Korean minor league baseball player Park Hoy-jun has become a free agent, marking a turning point in his career which included brief stints in Major League Baseball (MLB). This development was announced by the Gwinnett Stripers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Park Hoy-jun is one of 20 players from the team who elected free agency this week. The 27-year-old now faces a decision to either continue pursuing his MLB dreams in the United States or return to play in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO).

Park, who signed with the New York Yankees out of high school in 2014, made his MLB debut with the team in July 2021. Following his transfer to the Pittsburgh Pirates, Park appeared in 23 big league games in 2022. His MLB career stats included a .216 batting average with two home runs and six RBIs. Park showcased his versatility by playing at second base, third base, shortstop, and right field.

After being traded to the Boston Red Sox in November 2022 and then to the Braves in December, Park spent the entire 2023 season in Triple-A, recording a .262 batting average with six home runs, 42 RBIs, and 16 steals in 101 games.

If Park decides to join a KBO team, he must wait two years as per KBO rules which require players who’ve signed their first professional contract overseas to sit out for 24 months before joining a KBO club.