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Former Cleveland Indians Hope To Find Success in South Korea

By Ed Carroll

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Former Cleveland Indians farmhand Tyler Cloyd signed last week with the Samsung Lions, South Korea’s Korean Baseball Organization’s reigning champion. Cloyd, a right-hander, never made it to Cleveland, pitching with the AAA Columbus Clippers last season, and threw a no-hitter July 30. The Indians released Cloyd a couple of days ago to allow him to sign with a KBO team.

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Cloyd is one of a few former Cleveland Indians to be making the trip overseas, and while an American baseball player playing in South Korea might raise eyebrows, it makes a lot more sense when you realize how little minor league players actually make until they debut in the big leagues (if they ever do at all). Cloyd will make $550,000, with a $100,000 signing bonus — far more than he could have ever made with the Indians organization, barring some severe injuries to the Major League rotation.

Also signing with the KBO are former Indians third baseman Jack Hannahan, former Indians first round pick Brad Snyder (2003), former Indians pitcher Mitch Talbot, former Indians outfielder/defensive liability Nyjer Morgan, former Indians farmhand Travis Banwart, and the greatest living relief pitcher former Indians infielder Andy Marte.

None of those players had much of a future left in MLB, so hopefully they can make some money playing in South Korea, if not play well enough to earn a return trip to the Show next season.

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