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Former Rockies catcher Wilin Rosario signs to play in S. Korea

January 22, 2016

Wilin Rosario (AP / Korea Times file)

By The Korea Times Los Angeles staff

The Hanwha Eagles announced the signing of a power-hitting catcher Wilin Rosario, who played for the Colorado Rockies for past five years, on Friday.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club and the 26-year-old from the Dominican Republic reportedly agreed to a one-year deal worth $1.3 million, including a signing bonus of $300,000, which may or may not be accurate, considering he made more than twice that amount last year.

Rosario is known more for his bat than glove, as the Rockies only let him catch in two games last year. He was used as a first baseman in 53 games.

Rosario racked up 28 home runs and 71 RBIs in just 397 at-bats in 2012 to finish fourth in the National League Rookie of the Year voting. His 28 home runs topped all Major League catchers that year, and he followed up with a 21 home run, 79 RBI performance while hitting .297 in 2013, but his production has dropped off sharply since.

In November, the Rockies designated him for assignment, and Rosario elected to become a free agent rather than accepting a minor league assignment.

The Eagles are hoping for lightning to strike twice by signing another former Rockie, as Rosario will be joining former teammate Esmil Rogers who was re-signed earlier reportedly for $1.9 million.

As a mid-season acquisition, Rogers was an instant success as he became the first foreign pitcher to record back-to-back complete game in first two starts in S. Korea. He finished with a record of 6-2 and 2.96 ERA in 10 starts.

However, while Rogers had to learn to survive in the notorious Coors Field, Rosario benefited from playing in the launching pad. If you look at Rosario’s stats for past three years, his batting average dropped from .320 to .233 when away from Coors Field, including .331 to .196 last year.