Jung Ho Kang smashes home run to the second deck in Petco Park

Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Jung Ho Kang was signed for his prodigious pop. The 28-year-old slugged an incredible 40 home runs during his final season in the Korean Baseball Organization.

While the level of offense is thought to be much higher in the KBO, Kang is starting to show that his power wasn’t a product of the league. He showed off that ability Thursday against the San Diego Padres.

With two men on in the first inning, Kang stepped to the plate against Ian Kennedy. On the first pitch of the at-bat, Kang belted an 85 mph slider to deep left center for the three-run shot. 

Petco Park, which has typically been one of the more difficult places to hit a home run, couldn’t contain Kang’s pop. He managed to belt the ball to the second deck. The home run traveled 430 feet.

At the beginning of the season, Kang was used as more of a part-time, utility player. He’s received regular playing time recently, and is starting to reward the Pirates for their offseason investment. 

Over 116 plate appearances, Kang is hitting a robust .308/.371/.462. He’s belted three home runs with Pittsburgh. 

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Given the uncertainty of how well Kang’s numbers would translate to Major League Baseball, the Pirates were able to scoop him up for just $11 million over four seasons. If the early returns are any indication, the team have come away with one of the savviest signings of the offseason.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik