The SSG Landers of the Korea Baseball Organization announced Tuesday that theyve signed right-hander to a one-year deal worth $750K ( ). He can earn another $150K via incentives. Dugger, 28, logged MLB time each season from 2019-22, compiling a total of 86 2/3 innings between the Marlins, Mariners, Rays and Reds. He was hit hard during that stretch, yielding a 7.17 ERA, but hes posted solid results in an exorbitantly hitter-friendly Triple-A setting in each of the past two seasons. Duggers 4.31 earned run Jorge Soler Jersey average with the Rangers Triple-A affiliate in 2023 actually led all qualified starting pitchers in the Pacific Coast League and ranked ranked fourth among starters with at least 70 innings pitched. He coupled that mark with a 22.6% strikeout rate, 9.5% walk rate and 43.5% ground-ball rate. Baseball America ranked Dugger among the Marlins top 30 prospects each year from 2018-20, labeling him a potential back-of-the-rotation starter thanks more to a deep and varied five-pitch arsenal than due to any one truly plus offering. Hell take that skill set overseas in his first foray into profe sional ball in Asia, and in doing so will secure a much larger payday than hed have commanded as a depth arm in Triple-A hoping for what wouldve likely been a brief call to the Majors before again being a DFA candidate as an out-of-options journeyman. Dugger has never been seen as a power arm, averaging just 90.9 mph on his four-seamer and 90.1 mph on his sinker throughout his big league trials. That lack of velo wont be as glaring in the KBO, where the average fastball clocks in lower than in MLB. As a former 18th-round pick, hell relish this opportunity to secure the largest guaranteed salary of his career. And with a nice season for the Landers, Dugger could position himself to re-sign on a seven-figure deal (or close to it). Enough succe s could garner him some interest from Japans NPB or perhaps even pave the way for an eventual return to the Majors. Matt Thaiss Jersey
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