Hanwha Eagles pitcher Cody Ponce reacts during Game 3 of the Korean Series against the LG Twins at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark in Daejeon on Oct. 29. [NEWS1]

Hanwha Eagles pitcher Cody Ponce reacts during Game 3 of the Korean Series against the LG Twins at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark in Daejeon on Oct. 29. [NEWS1]

 
Cody Ponce, the 2025 KBO’s regular season MVP, left Korea on Sunday as he appears to be nearing a deal with an MLB club. 
 
Ponce, who played for the Hanwha Eagles in the 2025 season, welcomed his first daughter in Daejeon on Nov. 7 and originally planned to remain in Korea through the end of the year before returning to the United States.
 
 
He attended the league’s MVP ceremony and the Choi Dong-won Award ceremony for best KBO pitcher. He was expected to appear at the Golden Glove ceremony on Dec. 9, but he moved up his departure date.
 
Ponce dominated the 2025 KBO season with 17 wins, a 1.89 ERA, 252 strikeouts and a 0.944 winning percentage. He became only the third pitcher in KBO history — and the first foreign player — to sweep all four major pitching titles.
 
MLB scouts visited often to evaluate him during the 2025 season. U.S. media recently listed the San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs as Ponce’s potential landing spots.
 
Ponce signaled a possible farewell in a social media post on Saturday. He thanked his interpreter, Kim Ji-hwan, and wrote, “You have been not just a translator but a brother to me! I can’t thank you enough what you did for me and my family!” 
 
With Ponce’s departure looming, the Eagles moved quickly and signed new foreign pitcher Wilkel Hernandez. The right-hander throws a fastball that tops out at 156 kilometers per hour (97 miles per hour) with a three-quarter delivery. He recorded a 4.80 ERA in 34 appearances, including 19 starts, for Triple-A, the highest level in Minor League Baseball, this year.
 
Whether the Eagles will re-sign foreign pitcher Ryan Weiss remains also unclear. 
 
Hanwha Eagles pitcher Ryan Weiss reacts during Game 4 of the Korean Series against the LG Twins at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark in Daejeon on Oct. 30. [YONHAP]

Hanwha Eagles pitcher Ryan Weiss reacts during Game 4 of the Korean Series against the LG Twins at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark in Daejeon on Oct. 30. [YONHAP]

 
Weiss played a central role, along with Ponce, in leading the club to its first Korean Series appearance in 19 years. The Eagles offered their highest possible terms, but recent rumors suggest Weiss is close to signing with the Houston Astros. Weiss has no MLB experience, but a major league offer can disrupt the Eagles’ potential plan to keep him. 
 
The Eagles strengthened their lineup in the meantime by adding a hitter.
 
Yonathan Perlaza [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Yonathan Perlaza [SCREEN CAPTURE]

 
The team brought back outfielder Jonathan Peraza, who played for the Daejeon club in the 2024 season. Peraza excelled in Triple-A this year, batting .307 with 19 home runs, 113 RBIs and a .901 OPS in 138 games. He earned the Minor League MVP award within the San Diego Padres system, and the Eagles beat several Japanese clubs to sign him.
 
“We monitored Peraza for the past year and saw improvements in his defense and his ability to produce quality line drives,” the club said. “Peraza will help strengthen a lineup that includes Chae Eun-seong, Roh Si-hwan, Kang Baek-ho and Moon Hyun-bin.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY BAE YOUNG-EUN [[email protected]]