Pitcher Vows Return to Korea After Landing MLB Dream Deal

Two days after getting a surprise phone call about playing baseball in South Korea, Ryan Weiss was on a plane to a country he'd never considered visiting. Now, after landing his dream contract with the Houston Astros, the 29-year-old pitcher can't stop talking about going back.

Weiss was pitching in the independent leagues last year when scouts from Korea's Hanwha Eagles came to watch his teammate. They stayed an extra day and happened to catch Weiss on the mound instead.

The opportunity seemed too good to pass up. Weiss discussed it with his wife Hailey that morning, bought plane tickets that night, and landed in South Korea 48 hours later for what was supposed to be a six-week temporary position.

He exceeded every expectation. Over the 2024 season, Weiss appeared in 30 games, posted a 16-5 record with a 2.87 ERA, and struck out 207 batters. His fastball hit 99 mph, and he transformed into a completely different pitcher with the help of Korean coaching staff.

Multiple major league teams came calling. Weiss chose Houston because they believed in him as a starting pitcher, signing a deal worth up to $9.8 million with incentives.

Why This Inspires

Most players would celebrate reaching the majors and never look back. Weiss keeps looking back to Korea with genuine affection and gratitude.

He raves about Hanwha's passionate fans, who created a 120,000-person waiting list for Korean Series tickets at a stadium that holds just 17,000. He misses the drums, cheerleaders, and electric atmosphere at every single game, not just the postseason.

When a radio host suggested he might return to Korea someday as a visitor, Weiss immediately corrected him. "Oh, no," he said, shaking his head firmly. "We will definitely go back to Korea someday. I don't know if it will be in a few years, but we really love Korea."

He stays in touch with his former teammates, interpreter, and front office staff. He misses Korean barbecue, calling it "the best by far" and noting it's both higher quality and cheaper than in the United States.

Weiss's journey shows how opportunities can emerge from unexpected places when scouts stay an extra day and players stay open to adventure. Korea gave an unknown pitcher a chance to prove himself, and he's never forgotten it.

Now Houston gets a pitcher who learned what it means to play for fans who believe in you, even when nobody else does.