West Palm Beach, Florida – Ryan Weiss, the former Hanwha Eagles ace, is embracing the competition as he prepares for his first Major League Baseball season with the Houston Astros. The 29-year-old pitcher, who signed a one-year, $2.6 million contract with the Astros in December, expressed confidence in his ability to earn a spot on the roster, despite a crowded pitching staff.
Weiss’s journey to the MLB is unconventional. Drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2018, he navigated multiple organizations and independent leagues before finding success in the Korean Baseball Organization. He joined the Hanwha Eagles in June 2024 and quickly established himself as a dominant force, posting a 16-5 record with a 2.87 ERA and 207 strikeouts in 30 starts (178 ⅔ innings) last season. His performance earned him the nickname “Daejeon Jesus” from Korean fans, a testament to his impact on the team and the city.
“I’ve been really lucky over the past few years. I’ve been to a lot of countries and had a lot of experiences and I’m just grateful,” Weiss told MLB.com. “I’m thankful that I’ve met a lot of new people here. I want to get to know everyone and reveal myself a little more. I’m an introvert, but I’m trying to get to know as many players as possible.”
Weiss credits his time in Korea with refining his baseball IQ. “Korea helped me develop my baseball IQ. The batters there see until the end and put out the bat to avoid striking out too many times. Too, I was able to improve by thinking about how I could prevent a runner from advancing when he tried to advance. After going to Korea, my baseball IQ got much better,” he said.
The Astros, however, have significantly bolstered their pitching depth this offseason. In addition to Weiss, the team has added Japanese pitchers Tatsuya Imai (three years, $54 million) and Nate Pearson (one year, $1.35 million). They also acquired Mike Burrows from the Pittsburgh Pirates and Deng Kaiwei through a trade, further increasing competition for starting roles. Hunter Brown has been confirmed as the opening day starter.
MLB.com currently projects a six-man starting rotation consisting of Brown, Imai, Christian Javier, Burrows, Lance McCullers Jr., and Spencer Arrighetti, with Weiss competing for the final spot. The Athletic reported that Weiss and Pearson were signed with the expectation of competing for starting positions, but the addition of Imai and Burrows has narrowed their opportunities.
Despite the challenges, Weiss remains optimistic. “Competition is the essence of baseball. Competition exists everywhere, and I have never avoided it. I believe in myself, and I know that all the players in this clubhouse believe in me. It will be a really fun competition,” Weiss stated. The Astros’ spring training exhibition games begin on February 22nd, marking the start of Weiss’s bid to create the team.
