The one in MLB stands 6 feet 4 inches, while the Korean two-way rookie is about 6’4″. The New York Yankees found their Korean Ohtani in Hyun-seung Ha, a left-handed pitcher and batter, unlike Shohei Ohtani (throws right, bats left). But even with one of the largest amateur offers ever given to a South Korean player, Ha decided to forgo the immediate MLB route.

Ha has reportedly turned down a massive $2.26 million signing bonus from New York. The 18-year-old chose to stay home and enter the KBO Draft for further development.

“Hyun-seung Ha declined a 2.26M signing bonus from the Yankees to stay in Korea. That is 10k higher than the current record for a signing bonus given to a South Korean amateur (Byung-hyun Kim, 2.25M from Arizona in 1999),” X user Wilfred Bergqvist quoted Sports Chosun.

Hyun-seung quickly rose to fame as one of the top three prospects for the first overall pick in the 2027 KBO Rookie Draft this September. Fans call him the “Busan High School Ohtani” because he dominates as both a hitter and a pitcher.

As a batter, he recorded a .488 batting average in 13 games. He scored 3 HRs and 15 RBIs, with a .589 OBP and a .837 slugging percentage. As a pitcher, Hyun-seung posted a 0.00 ERA, 38 SOs, and a 0.65 WHIP from 23 innings. The Yankees noticed the talent and tried to buy him immediately. But Ha said no.

Had Hyun-seung accepted the offer, he would have broken Kim Byung-hun’s $2.25 million bonus he received when he signed with the D-Backs back in 1999.

“Three Major League teams, including the New York Yankees, were targeting him. However, after much deliberation, Ha Hyun-seung said he will grow in Korea before heading to the U.S,” Busan High head coach Park Gye-won said via StarNews.

Hyun-seung, although he thanked the Yankees for the offer, said that his objective was to grow better in the KBO before jumping to the American shore. However, he has shared that playing in MLB is still a dream for him.

“I sincerely thank everyone who has shown me so much interest and support regarding my career path recently. I am truly grateful to have received a lot of interest from several Major League teams. It was an honor, as it was a stage I had always dreamed of.”

That means he will be in baseball’s biggest show in the coming years.

“I believed it was more important to build my fundamentals and gain experience in the KBO League, while learning from excellent senior players and growing,” Hyun-seung added.

He is following the same trajectory as Ohtani. After completing high school, Ohtani also played with Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters between 2013 and 2017, before signing with the Los Angeles Angels.

Back in 2017, the Yankees made a strong push to sign Ohtani. They even made a strong pitch during the 2022 trade deadline but failed. Now, their plan to land a two-way talent got postponed again. For the Yankees, that might just be their missing link.

The Yankees desperately need an Ohtani alternative

The Yankees have Aaron Judge to counter Ohtani at the plate. While Judge has developed himself as the team’s cornerstone in all these years and a true-blue MVP, there’s no one from the pitching staff.

Currently, Gerrit Cole is the best arm the Yankees have, but he just got back from injury. On the other hand, Ohtani, despite his batting workload, has recorded a sub-1.00 ERA on the mound this year.

A two-way talent like Hyun-seung would be perfect for the Yankees to lead both ways. Hyun-seung’s physique could be the best for meeting the Yankees’ expectations.

He is a towering 6-foot-4 and weighs 207 pounds. He uses that large frame to hit for serious power and throw fastballs with high velocity.

The Yankees’ current designated hitter and outfield spots are frequently occupied by older, high-priced veterans who require rest. A young power like Hyun-seung could thus be the perfect missing link for the Yankees. Imagine the intensity that will follow if MLB gets two two-way phenoms.

And what if this Korean rookie also lands with the Los Angeles Dodgers?