Normally, free agent contracts are for four years, but recently, long-term contracts are increasing.

The free agent’s first long-term contract was Choi Jeong (SSG Landers) in 2018.

Choi Jeong-eun, who signed a contract with SK Wyverns (now SSG) for a total of 9 billion won for 4 years (down payment 4.2 billion won, annual salary 4.4 billion won, incentive 400 million won) as the first free agent in 2015, became the second free agent ahead of the 2019 season, totaling 10.6 billion won over 6 years (down payment of 3.2 billion won, annual salary of 6.8 billion won, incentive of 600 million won). It was a six-year contract that surpassed his first four years.

Afterwards, in the 2021 season, Doosan Bears’ Heo Gyeong-min signed a long-term contract for 4+3 years, up to 7 years for 8.5 billion won, and Su-bin Jeong for 6 years for 5.6 billion won.

A six-year contract continued in the 2023 free agency. As Chae Eun-seong moved from LG to Hanwha, 9 billion won in 6 years, and Yang Eui-ji moved to Doosan, his original home, from NC with 15.2 billion won, the highest free agent amount ever, in 4+2.

In addition, from the 2021 season, multi-year contracts for non-FA were allowed, and all signed contracts for more than 5 years.

SSG also started a multi-year contract as a non-FA. SSG, which signed pitchers Moon Seung-won and Park Jong-hoon, who are recovering from elbow surgery, signed 5-year, 5.5 billion won and 6.5 billion won contracts last year, respectively, and outfielder Hanyu-seom signed a 5-year, 6 billion won contract.

Then Ja-wook Koo (Samsung Lions) 메이저놀이터 signed a 5-year, 12 billion won contract in February this year, and last October, the Lotte Giants signed a 5-year, 9 billion won contract with ace Park Sae-woong, delaying his enlistment as a managing director.

And this time, Chang-mo Koo (NC Dinos), who still has two years left to become a free agent, signed a long-term contract for up to seven years on the 16th.

There are two terms of the contract. If you qualify for FA after the next two seasons, that is, after the 2024 season, a total of 12.5 billion won with an annual salary of 9 billion won and an incentive of 3.5 billion won in 6 years. The total is 13.2 billion won, including the execution of the contract for the 7th year at 8.8 billion won. For both conditions, the contract starts from the 2023 season.

The reason for such an increase in long-term contracts is simple.

This is revealed as it is in the explanation of the background of NC’s Gu Chang-mo contract. NC explained, “This is the NC Dinos’ first non-FA multi-year contract for the purpose of preemptively securing key selection resources, motivating players, stabilizing the starting pitching staff, and implementing a mid- to long-term plan to organize the squad.” are doing

In other words, it’s like a kind of pre-sale. In other words, it means looking to the future and securing a certain ace level in advance that can help the team.

As you can see here, all players with multi-year contracts are the aces of the team. After all, if you have skills, you can continue a stable player life for a long time. It is just an object of envy for the six 2023 free agents who have yet to find a place to go and have not signed a contract.

Although it is one aspect of a professional player, where ‘skill = money’, long-term contracts are expected to become a trend for ace players ahead of free agents in each team.