Colombia/South Korea

  As we almost conclude our Internationally themed Marlins Rosters, we have another 2 Nations forming 1 Squad today. We've given you Marlins Team USA, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, México, Canada/Japan, and Cuba. It's now Colombia & South Korea's turn at bat.

Similarly to Team 🇨🇦 Canada-Japan 🇯🇵, we'll need some help from a prominent Asian Baseball League (in this instance it will obviously be the KBO). So let's dip into Marlins lore for an interesting 18 Player Roster 🇨🇴 🇰🇷.

Simply no better way to start than with hero of Game 7 of the '97 World Series, Edgar Renteria. Having picked up the biggest Hit in Franchise History, Renteria (the first Colombian born Marlins Player) hit over .300 as a Rookie in 1996, picked up a prior Walk-Off Knock to Win the first ever Fish Playoff Game (1997), and went to the All-Star Game as a Marlin in 1998. What a 3 year run the Colombian Shortstop had in South Florida, whom also went to another World Series in St. Louis ('04), and captured a 2nd World Title with the San Francisco ('10), picking WS MVP honors in the process.

Donovan Solano had a Career breakout with those same Giants beginning in 2019, the Colombian Infielder however, broke into the Big Leagues with the Marlins (2012). Solano, a very serviceable Utility Infielder (to this day), Appeared in 361 Games with the Fish between '12-'15.

Hee-Seop Choi was the first Marlins Position Player born in South Korea (the first 🇰🇷 Pitcher may surprise you later). Traded for Derrek Lee, Choi actually filled in admirably at First Base for the '04 Defending Champion Marlins. Slugging 15 Homers and Driving In 40 with an .882 OPS, Choi quickly became a fan favorite during his 95 Game stint with Florida, before being shipped to L.A as part of the Brad Penny/Paul Lo Duca Trade.

Harold Ramirez finally broke into the Majors in 2019 in Miami, putting up a very solid Season as a Rookie for a very bad Marlins Squad. Ramirez would also find MLB success in Cleveland & Tampa Bay, before continuing to produce (currently) in Mexico. #HaroldHits

Phillies @ Marlins 2020

Jorge Alfaro was part of the package the Fish received from Philadelphia for J.T. Realmuto, and while replacing/becoming the long term answer Behind the Plate in Miami didn't quite work out (eventually finishing his Marlins tenure in LF), the Colombian native did pick up some big hits in South Florida during his tenure ('19'-'21). Alfaro returned to the Big Leagues in 2025 with Washington.

Let's head over to the KBO, South Korea's top Baseball League, where former Marlins First Baseman Lewin Diaz had an unprecedented 2025 Season with the Samsung Lions. Diaz, of Santiago D.R 🇩🇴, set the KBO HR Record for a Foreign Born Player with 50 Long Balls, and broke the KBO Marker (Foreign or not) in RBI's with 158.

Fellow KBO Superstar/former Marlins Outfielder Austin Dean helped capture a 2nd Korean Series Title in '25 for the LG Twins. Dean has now had 3 Seasons in the KBO with over 20 HR's (the last two with over 30), and each with 95 RBI or more.

Catcher Jhonathan Solano had a brief stint with the Fish in 2015 (7 Games worth), yet during that first Contest, along with brother Donovan, became the first set of brothers to ever play for the Marlins. Jhonthan also gave me this Steve Cischek Strike Out ball in the Spring of '15 😉.

Speaking of Siblings, Ed Renteria (Brother of Edgar), Played in the Marlins Minor League System between 1993 and 1994. Ex Marlin Vinny Rottino spent a Season in the KBO (2014), Batting over .300. While Miguel Peña (Catcher), was the last International Position Player Free Agent ('16/'17 Signing Period) whom the Marlins Signed out of the Country of Colombia/has long since been let go. 

Bung-Hyun Kim became the first South Korean Player to Win a World Series (2001 Arizona), and was actually part of 2 World Championship Teams (2004 Red Sox as well). The diminutive/deceptive Side-Armer finished an underrated 9 Year MLB Career with the Fish in 2007, Winning his last Big League Start in Shea, while helping to dash the Mets Playoff hopes in the process.

The distinction of being the first South Korean born Player in Marlins History actually belongs to Tommy Phelps?! The Left Handed Swingman was on a Marlins Mound from '03🏆 to '04, and was a Minor League Field Coordinator for the Organization as recently as 2024.

A lot of Marlins fans are sure to remember 6"8 (selling him short) Chris Volstad, whom actually spent a Season in the KBO (2014), prior to wrapping up his Big League Career. Volsatad, a First Rd. Pick by the Marlins out of Palm Beach Gardens, Appeared in 103 Games for the Hometown Team from '08 to '11 (with all but his MLB Debut coming as a Starting Pitcher).

Former Fish Drew Rucinski found a lot more success than Volstad Pitching in Korea. The 2018 Marlins Relief Pitcher made 121 Career Starts for the NC Dinos ('19-'22), going 53-36 with a 3.06 ERA, while also helping win the Korean Series in 2020. (Remember, the KBO was the first Professional Sports League outside of Combat Sports to resume play following the pandemic.)

Yonny Chirinos, whom made 6 Starts for the 2024 Fish, was on Dean's LG Twins Squad this year which Captured the Korean Series. Chirinos made 30 Regular Season Starts going 13-6 with a 3.31 ERA in the Righty's first Season Pitching in the KBO.

Tall-Lanky Colombian fire balling Right Hander, Tayron Guerrero made 112 Relief Outings for the Marlins between '18 & '19.

While the Fish attempted to have either Woo-Suk Go or Jun-Seok Shim, both acquired in separate Trades during the 2024 Season, become the the first South Korean Pitcher since Kim to Pitch for the Big League Team. Unfortunately both were Released within 2 months of eachother this Year. 

Kim Ng, of South Korean decent, certainly did make the Big Leagues with the Marlins, becoming the first female General Manager in Baseball History in the process.