Pirates All 40: Ji Hwan Bae’s Future Looks Murky

This is one in a series of stories breaking down members of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 40-man roster.

Ji Hwan Bae’s elite speed is hard to miss. The 25-year-old is among the fastest runners in the game.

It’s part of what made Bae an intriguing prospect as he ascended through the Pittsburgh Pirates’ minor-league system. The native of South Korea was annually on the Pirates’ top 30 prospects lists, peaking as high as No. 11 in 2020 on MLB Pipeline.

In addition to his speed, Bae was considered to have a quality hit tool. For his minor-league career, Bae owns a .304 batting average and an .822 OPS, both very respectable marks.

But for Bae, his success in the minor leagues has yet to translate during parts of three seasons with the Pirates, and his most recent showing in 2024 — albeit a small sample — didn’t provide much encouragement.

Bae made his MLB debut in 2022 and did what many expected of him in a brief 10-game stint. His .333 batting average and .830 OPS from his debut season were both in line with what he’s done throughout his minor-league career.

But Bae saw an increased role in 2023, appearing in a career-high 111 games. His success from his first taste of the big leagues didn’t continue, however,

Bae slumped his way to a .231/.296/.311 slash with 17 doubles, two triples, two home runs and 32 RBIs. He did steal 24 bases but was caught nine times.

A couple of injuries hindered Bae this past year and was part of the reason why he only appeared in 29 games with Pittsburgh. He mustered a lowly .189 batting average with a .463 OPS when he did play.

Now, with a crowded mix of middle infielders and several outfielders who are seemingly ahead of him on the depth chart, Bae’s status with the Pirates heading into the 2025 season is questionable at best.

Background

• The Pirates signed Bae as an international free agent for a hefty $1.25 million bonus in 2018. Bae originally signed with the Atlanta Braves, but his contract was voided due to international signing rule violations.
• In 2024, Bae ranked in the 91st-percentile of all Major League players with a 29.0 feet per second sprint speed.
• Career highlight: Bae hit a walk-off three-run homer against the Houston Astros to break a 4-4 tie and give the Pirates a win on Apr. 11, 2023. He hasn’t homered in the big leagues since.
• Contract status: Bae doesn’t yet qualify for salary arbitration.