NC Dinos Sign Former MLB Pitcher Widener
By Yoo Jee-ho
SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) — South Korean baseball club NC Dinos announced Tuesday that it has signed former major league pitcher Taylor Widener, becoming the latest team in the league to complete the their signings of foreign players for 2023.
The Dinos said Widener, 28, agreed to a one-year deal worth $743,000, including a $145,000 signing bonus.
Teams in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) may enter up to three foreign players, with a maximum of two pitchers. The Dinos had previously signed pitcher Erick Fedde and outfielder Jason Martin.
New NC Dinos pitcher Taylor Widener signs his contract with the Korea Baseball Organization club, in this photo provided by the Dinos on Jan. 31, 2023. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap )
They have replaced all three foreign players from last season, having parted ways with pitchers Drew Rucinski and Matt Dermody, and outfielder Nick Martini.
Widener was drafted in the 12th round by the New York Yankees in 2016, but was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2018. The right-hander made his big league debut with the D-backs in 2020.
In three major league seasons, Widener was 2-3 with a 4.26 ERA in 49 games, including 13 starts.
In three Triple-A campaigns, Widener had a 7.26 ERA in 51 appearances, including 24 starts, while posting an 8-9 record.
According to Statcast, Widener threw five different pitches last year: four-seam fastball, slider, changeup, curveball and cutter. He averaged 94 mph with his fastball, which he threw nearly 68 percent of the time.
The Dinos said they rely on Widener’s “dominant” fastball to make some magic, and said Widener adds a new dimension to the rotation, with Fedde, the other new foreign pitcher, relying primarily on a fastball two-seam fast.
Widener will join the Dinos at their spring training location in Tucson, Ariz., as soon as formalities are completed, the team said.
In this July 27, 2021, file photo from Getty Images, Arizona Diamondbacks’ Taylor Widener throws against the Texas Rangers during the bottom of the first inning of a Major League Baseball regular season game at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. (Yonhap)
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