Pittsburgh Pirates have dilemma with Ji-Hwan Bae

The Pittsburgh Pirates have a decision to make when it comes to Korean prospect Ji-Hwan Bae.

This past offseason, it appeared as though the Pittsburgh Pirates had a steal with infielder Ji-Hwan Bae. One of the 13 prospects to be emancipated from the Atlanta Braves farm system, Bae was an intriguing talent, signing for $1.25 Million as the PIrates hoped he would be a part of their long term success.

Instead, his career has taken a wrong turn before it ever really started. The 19 year old was found guilty of assaulting his ex-girlfriend during a New Year’s Eve party in 2017, The Pirates, for their part, did report the incident to Major League Baseball, who did not impose any punishment upon the prospect.

That may now change. Even though he will avoid time in prison, and his fine will amount to approximately $2000, he may well face discipline from the Pirates, or MLB itself. Minor league players are subject to the same disciplinary measures as major league players in these instances, would could lead to a suspension for 2019 for Bae.

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For the Pirates, such a move would further delay the infielder’s progress. He appeared in only 35 games in the Gulf Coast League last season, producing a decent .271/.362/.349 batting line, hitting six doubles while stealing ten bases. Considered to have excellent speed and contact ability, along with potential plus defense, Bae was thought to have similar upside to a player like Trea Turner.

Despite that upside, the Pirates have a decision to make regarding Bae. MLB has suspended several players for domestic violence, regardless of whether or not they were found guilty. Players like Aroldis Chapman, Roberto Osuna, and Addison Russell have all felt the sting of the ban hammer.

With Bae being in the minor leagues, and without union representation, his punishment could be even harsher than anything doled out by MLB thus far. While the league will undoubtedly conduct their own investigation, the Pirates may want to make a move first. A suspension by the team could end up being sufficient, if the league finds it to be long enough.

On the other hand, the Pirates could well decide to move on from Bae. While they did spend quite a lot to pluck him out of free agency, there is no guarantee that he will be that player that evaluators envision. Bae may well be the Pirates infielder of the future, but will the future still be there after his actions?

Ji-Hwan Bae may be talented, but his actions could force the Pittsburgh Pirates to make a decision they do not want to make.