The New York Yankees reportedly put $2.26 million on the table for Korean high school phenom Ha Hyun-seung, a two-way standout already drawing comparisons to Shohei Ohtani. But despite the historic offer, the 18-year-old chose a different path, turning down the Yankees to begin his professional career at home in South Korea, according to South Korean media.
Ha, who has been labeled the “Korean Shohei Ohtani” because of his dominance as both a pitcher and hitter, explained his surprising decision in a statement on May 29, saying his priority is developing in the KBO League, his own country’s professional circuit, before eventually pursuing a Major League career.
In that statement, posted to Instagram, Ha thanked the clubs that had chased him before laying out why he is staying home.
Ha Hyun-seung Explains His New York Yankees Decision
“I am especially grateful to the many Major League clubs that have taken an interest in me,” Ha wrote in a statement posted to Instagram. “I was inspired by the stage I had long dreamed of.”
“After receiving full support from my parents and Coach Park Gye-won of Busan High School, I decided to begin my professional career in KBO League,” he continued. “I thought it was more important to learn from outstanding players and grow while building a foundation and gaining experience in the KBO League.”
The Yankees had reportedly put roughly $2.26 million on the table as a signing bonus for Ha, a historic figure for a player his age, according to Pinstripes Nation reporter Esteban Quiñones. Ha turned it down to enter the 2027 KBO rookie draft, where he intends to be the top pick. The 2027 draft is scheduled for September 2026.
“I want to experience the honor of being nominated as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 KBO rookie draft under the name Ha Hyun-seung of Busan High School,” he wrote.
Korean High School Superstar Draws Shohei Ohtani Comparisons
The numbers explain the Ohtani comparisons. Over seven games on the mound this spring, the Busan High School senior went 2-0 with an incredible 0.00 ERA across 23 innings, striking out 38, walking eight and posting a 0.65 WHIP. His fastball touched 94 mph.
At the plate he was nearly as overpowering, batting .488 with three home runs, 15 RBIs and a .589 on-base percentage across 13 games. The Yankees reportedly valued him more as a hitter than as a pitcher.
Of course, the Ohtani comparison is far from exact. When Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Angels in December 2017, he was already a five-season star for the Nippon Ham Fighters of Japan’s top professional league, according to a MiLB report by Sam Dykstra. Ha is still in high school.
Ohtani, then 23, was bound by international amateur signing rules because of his age, which capped his bonus at the roughly $2.3 million the Angels had remaining in their international signing pool. The number dangled in front of Ha sits in nearly the same range. But that’s for a teenager who has yet to throw a professional pitch or swing at one.
Ha has not closed the door on the majors. He simply wants to get there on his own terms.
“After achieving success as an outstanding baseball player in the KBO League, I want to challenge myself on a bigger stage,” he wrote in his post. The high schooler likely also realizes that if he achieves stardom in the KBO League, his price to jump to MLB will dwarf what the Yankees reportedly offered.
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