Hoy Jun Park (Korean: 박효준; born April 7, 1996) is a South Korean professional baseball infielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the New York Yankees. He signed with the Yankees as an international free agent in 2014 and made his MLB debut in 2021.

Hoy Park
Park with the Trenton Thunder in 2019
Pittsburgh Pirates – No. 44
Second baseman / Third baseman
Born: (1996-04-07) April 7, 1996 (age 26) Seoul, South Korea
Bats: Left Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 16, 2021, for the New York Yankees
MLB statistics (through 2022 season)
Batting average	.201
Home runs	5
Runs batted in	20
Teams
New York Yankees (2021) Pittsburgh Pirates (2021–present)

Career

New York Yankees

On July 2, 2014, Park signed with the New York Yankees organization as an international free agent.[1] He made his professional debut in 2015 with the rookie-level Pulaski Yankees, hitting .239/.351/.383 in 56 games. He spent the 2016 season with the Single-A Charleston RiverDogs, slashing .225/.336/.329 with 2 home runs and 34 RBI. Park split 2017 between Charleston and the High-A Tampa Yankees, posting a cumulative .251/.348/.359 slash line with career-highs in home runs (7) and RBI (39). Park returned to Tampa for the 2018 season, hitting .258/.387/.349 with 6 home runs and 34 RBI in 103 games. In 2019, Park played with the Double-A Trenton Thunder, logging a .272/.363/.370 slash line with 3 home runs and a career-high 41 RBI.[2][3]

Park did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] Park started the 2021 season with the Double-A Somerset Patriots before being promoted to the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.[5][6] On July 15, 2021, Park was added to the Yankees’ taxi squad following a COVID-19 outbreak in the big league club.[7] The following day, Park was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[8][9] Park made his MLB debut the same day against the Boston Red Sox as a pinch hitter for Tim Locastro, grounding out in his only at-bat. Park’s ground out would be his only plate appearance with the Yankees before he was outrighted off of the 40-man roster on July 21.[10]

Pittsburgh Pirates

On July 26, 2021, Park was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates along with Diego Castillo in exchange for Clay Holmes. He was then assigned to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians.[11] The Pirates promoted Park to the major leagues on July 31.[12] The next day, playing against the Philadelphia Phillies, Park hit a double for his first major league hit.[13] On August 10, Park hit his first major league home run off of St. Louis Cardinals starter J. A. Happ.[14] On August 23, after going hitless in his previous 20 at-bats, Park was optioned to the Indianapolis Indians.[15] Park was recalled on August 31 after Michael Chavis was placed on the injured list.[16] On April 22, 2022, he was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis after batting .214 playing 5 games in the majors to start the season.[17] When Ben Gamel was placed on the injured list on May 29, Park was recalled.[18]Immediately on May 30, after only pinch running once, Park was sent down to Triple-A Indianapolis to make room for Yu Chang.[19] On June 13, the Pirates recalled Hoy Park from Triple-A.

References

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)