Former Marlins, Red Sox Pitcher Enmanuel De Jesus Stays in KBO Despite MLB Interest

Enmanuel De Jesus was reportedly garnering interest from multiple MLB clubs, but he has decided to follow up his season with the Kiwoom Heroes by joining the KT Wiz.

Feb 22, 2023; Jupiter, FL, USA; Miami Marlins pitcher Enmanuel De Jesus (83) poses for a photo during photo day at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Left-handed pitcher Enmanuel De Jesus has signed a one-year contract with the KT Wiz of the Korean Baseball Organization, according to Yonhap News' Jeeho Yoo.

De Jesus was already in the KBO last season, suiting up for the Kiwoom Heroes. Reports surfaced in November that the southpaw was drawing interest from MLB teams on the free agent market, but he appears to have picked Korea over the United States for 2025.

Per Yoo, De Jesus' contract includes a $200K signing bonus and is worth $1 million in total. He earned $800K in 2024.

In 30 starts for the Heroes this season, De Jesus went 13-11 with a 3.68 ERA and 1.255 WHIP. He ranked second in the KBO in strikeouts, second in quality starts, third in wins, fifth in innings pitched and seventh in ERA.

AND... our obligatory player signing the contract picture... Courtesy of the KT Wiz... pic.twitter.com/ZaZDJU2i39

— Jeeho Yoo (@Jeeho_1) December 1, 2024

De Jesus got his start in professional baseball all the way back in 2013, signing with the Boston Red Sox as a 16-year-old. Over the next six seasons, De Jesus put up a 3.79 ERA and 1.334 WHIP as he climbed from the Dominican Summer League to High-A.

Coming out of the COVID-canceled 2020 season, De Jesus made it to Double-A and Triple-A for the first time. He went 5-3 with a 3.94 ERA, 1.516 WHIP and 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings, but elected free agency in November 2021.

The Giants gave De Jesus a shot in 2022, when he went 4-5 with a 4.51 ERA, 1.564 WHIP and 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings in Triple-A, but he once again hit the open market at the end of the year. That's when De Jesus landed with the Marlins, going 5-5 with a 4.70 ERA, 1.652 WHIP and 6.8 strikeouts per nine innings in their minor league system before getting called up to the majors.

Upon making his MLB debut in 2023, De Jesus posted an 11.37 ERA and 2.053 WHIP and -0.2 WAR across just two appearances.

De Jesus, who turns 28 next week, could look to make a return to MLB next winter, possibly with another solid KBO campaign under his belt. The Venezuelan lefty will still be in his 20s next offseason, which is younger than Merrill Kelly or Erick Fedde were when they returned from their own resurgent stints in Korea.

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