NC Dinos sign ex-MLB pitcher Widener

All News 16:24 January 31, 2023

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Jan. 31 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean baseball club NC Dinos announced Tuesday they've signed former major league pitcher Taylor Widener, becoming the last team in the league to complete their foreign player signings for 2023.

The Dinos said Widener, 28, agreed to a one-year deal worth US$743,000, including a signing bonus of $145,000.

Teams in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) can sign up to three foreign players, with no more than two pitchers. The Dinos had earlier 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 went 2-3 with a 4.26 ERA in 49 games, including 13 starts.

In three Triple-A campaigns, Widener had a 7.26 ERA across 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 miles per hour with his fastball, which he threw nearly 68 percent of the time.

The Dinos said they are banking on Widener's "dominant" fastball to work some magic and said Widener adds a new dimension to the rotation, with Fedde, the other new foreign pitcher, relying mostly on a two-seam fastball.

Widener will join the Dinos at their spring training site in Tucson, Arizona, as soon as his paperwork is done, the team said.