Since Shohei Ohtani entered the MLB, every team has sought his alternative. The Yankees are no exception. They took a bet on a Korean two-way rookie, Hyun-seung Ha, offering him a signing bonus that’s the highest in Korean amateur history. But for Hyun-seung, it’s better safe than sorry. He decided to apply for the KBO Draft, leaving the Yankees to postpone their response to Ohtani.

“Hyun-seung Ha declined a 2.26M signing bonus from the Yankees to stay in Korea. That is 10k higher than the current record for a signing bonus given to a South Korean amateur (Byung-hyun Kim, 2.25M from Arizona in 1999),” X user, Wilfred Bergqvist quoted Sports Chosun.

Hyun-seung quickly rose into fame as one of the top three prospects for the first overall pick in the 2027 KBO Rookie Draft this September. And the best part about him is that he plays at both ends of the ball, just like what Ohtani had done during his school days back in Japan. Hyun-seung is currently playing as a senior for the Busan High School as a two-way player.

As a batter, he recorded a .488 batting average in 13 games. In addition, he scored 3 HRs and 15 RBIs, with a .589 OBP and a .837 slugging percentage. On the other hand, as a pitcher, Hyun-seung posted a 0.00 ERA, 38 SOs, and 0.65 WHIP from 23 innings. The Yankees accurately noticed the talent and offered a $2.6 million signing bonus.

Had Hyun-seung accepted the offer, he would have broken Kim Byung-hun’s $2.25 million bonus he received when he signed with the D-Backs back in 1999. That was still the highest bonus for a Korean Rookie to date. Hyun-seung still chose to stay back. “Ha Hyun-seung has decided to stay in Korea. Three Major League teams, including the New York Yankees, were targeting him. However, after much deliberation, Ha Hyun-seung said he will grow in Korea before heading to the U.S,” Busan High head coach Park Gye-won said via StarNews.

Hyun-seung, although he thanked the Yankees for the offer, said that his objective was to grow better in the KBO before jumping to the American shore. However, he also confirmed that playing in MLB is still a dream for him, and that means he will be in baseball’s biggest show in the coming years. “I sincerely thank everyone who has shown me so much interest and support regarding my career path recently. I am truly grateful to have received a lot of interest from several Major League teams. It was an honor, as it was a stage I had always dreamed of,” he said.

“I believed it was more important to build my fundamentals and gain experience in the KBO League, while learning from excellent senior players and growing,” Hyun-seung added. So, he is following the same trajectory as Ohtani. After completing high school, Ohtani also played with Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters between 2013 and 2017, before signing with the Angels.

Hyun-seung also wants to enter the MLB as an elite two-way prodigy.

Back in 2017, the Yankees made a strong push to sign Ohtani. Again, they made a strong pitch during the 2022 trade deadline but failed again. This time, their plan to land a two-way talent got postponed again. For the Yankees, their missing link may just be a two-way talent.

The Yankees desperately need an Ohtani alternative

The Yankees have Aaron Judge to counter Ohtani from the plate, but no one at the mound. While Judge developed himself as the team’s cornerstone in all these years and a true-blue MVP, there’s no one from the pitching staff.

Currently, Gerrit Cole is the best arm the Yankees have, but he just got back from injury. On the other hand, Ohtani, despite his batting workload, has recorded a sub-1.00 ERA on the mound this year. So, a two-way talent like Hyun-seung would be perfect for the Yankees to lead both ways. Hyun-seung’s physique could be the best for meeting the Yankees’ expectations.

Hyun-seung inherited a large physique from his national high jumper father. At 194cm height and 94kg weight, he generates high RBIs, deception, and velocity.

The Yankees’ current designated hitter and outfield spots are frequently occupied by older, high-priced veterans who require frequent rest. A young and big body build like Hyun-seung could thus be the perfect missing link for the Yankees. Let’s now see by when they can have their hands on the Korean rookie.