"The 6'2" lefty-swinging slugger absolutely erupted in the KBO, pummeling opposing pitchers with a .314/.381/.644 batting line (165 wRC+) and 50 round-trippers this past season. Diaz walked in 9.6% of his plate appearances and fanned at only a 15.9% rate. His 158 (!!) runs batted in broke the single-season KBO record, and Diaz took home the KBO equivalent of a Gold Glove for his defense at first base."
"He was very popular on the waiver wire in during the tail end of his run in North America, being claimed off waivers or traded following a DFA five times in the 2022-23 offseason. That's due in part to his solid Triple-A production and former prospect status, but more so because even amid his MLB struggles at the plate, Diaz remained an elite defensive first baseman."
The Samsung Lions re-signed first baseman Diaz to a one-year, $1.5MM contract and right-hander Ariel Jurado to a one-year, $1.6MM contract for the 2026 season, with each player eligible for an additional $100K in incentives. Diaz, who recently turned 29, moved through several MLB organizations and recorded a .181/.227/.340 line in 343 major-league plate appearances. He posted .258/.340/.479 in Triple-A and garnered multiple waiver claims due to strong Triple-A production and elite first-base defense, graded 70–80. After joining the Lions in 2024, Diaz hit .314/.381/.644 with 50 homers and a KBO single-season record 158 RBI in 2025, and earned a KBO Gold Glove. Diaz will play all of next season at age 29.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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