Shay Whitcomb, who donned the Taegeuk mark and helped South Korea reach the quarterfinals in this year’s World Baseball Classic (WBC), now faces an uncertain future.
The Houston Astros announced on Tuesday (Korean time) that they have designated Whitcomb for assignment and claimed outfielder Nelson Velasquez off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals.
Following this move, Whitcomb will be placed on waivers. If another team claims him, he’ll join their roster. However, if he clears waivers, he could be sent to the minors or released, making him a free agent.
Whitcomb, whose mother was born in South Korea, was eligible to play for the Korean national team under WBC rules, which allow players to represent a country if one of their parents was born there.
During the WBC, Whitcomb hit .214 with 2 home runs and 3 run batted ins (RBIs) in five games. Upon returning to Houston, he struggled mightily, batting just .130 with 2 homers and 5 RBIs in 17 games, leading to this roster move.
In Triple-A this season, Whitcomb showed more promise, hitting .274 with 9 home runs, 52 RBIs, and a .758 On-base Plus Slugging (OPS) over 73 games.