KBO League’s SSG Landers Sign Drew VerHagen

The SSG Landers of the Korea Baseball Organization announced a one-year contract with right-hander Drew VerHagen for the 2026 season.  VerHagen will earn $800K in guaranteed money ($750K salary, $50K signing bonus) and another $100K is available to the 35-year-old righty in contract incentives.

A veteran of eight Major League seasons, VerHagen has a 4.98 ERA over 281 2/3 innings with the Tigers (from 2014-19) and Cardinals (2022-23), working primarily as a long reliever with a few spot starts.  He also has a significant amount of experience pitching in Japan, as VerHagen pitched with the Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball during both the 2020-21 seasons and then again over the last two seasons.

Overall, VerHagen has a 3.68 ERA, 23.7% strikeout rate, and 6.65% walk rate in 283 1/3 innings with the Fighters.  His most recent season, however, was his least-successful in NPB.  VerHagen delivered only a 6.08 ERA over 26 2/3 frames with the Fighters in 2025, and spent the bulk of the season with the Fighters’ minor league affiliate.

VerHagen will now look to turn the page in a new league and a new country.  He’ll take up one of the Fighters’ allotted roster spots for foreign-born pitchers, essentially replacing Drew Anderson (who is returning to MLB on a one-year deal with Detroit).