Pittsburgh Pirates: Jung Ho Kang returning to Kiwoom Heroes in KBO

There was a time when Jung Ho Kang seemed to be a building block for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The South Korean infielder had a pair of solid seasons in Pittsburgh in 2015 and 2016, but saw his career derailed after his third DUI following the 2016 season. He has played just 116 games since the end of the 2016 season and has not been on the diamond since 2019.

Now Kang is looking to make a comeback. After an aborted comeback attempt in 2020, he is back with the Kiwoom Heroes, his original franchise in the Korean Baseball Organization, as they want to give him a second chance.

Former Pittsburgh Pirates infield Jung Ho Kang returns to Kiwoom Heroes

This does not mean that Kang will return to the diamond in 2022. He was suspended for a year by the KBO back in 2020 for his DUIs, a punishment that will not begin until he is formally reinstated. He also will not have any access to the Heroes’ team facilities during that time, leaving him to train on his own again.

However, it is a second chance. Kang had been a star in the KBO before heading to the Pirates, producing a .298/.383/.504 batting line in his 3560 plate appearances, hitting 139 homers and 193 doubles. He had hit at least 30 homers four times for the Heroes, helping fuel the belief that he could be a solid option stateside.

While he did not have that same level of success, Kang was a respectable part of the Pirates lineup in his first two seasons stateside. He posted a .273/.355/.483 batting line with 36 homers and 43 doubles in his 837 plate appearances, a solid part of the Pirates’ success at that time.

Kang’s major league career is long over. He will be 36 by the time he is back on the diamond with the Heroes with a four year gap between appearances. Maybe he can recapture some of the magic and return to stardom with the Heroes, but even that seems to be a longshot.

Former Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Jung Ho Kang is restarting his baseball career. He has gone back home to the Kiwoom Heroes.