Milwaukee Brewers Make Announcement on 18-Year-Old Outfielder

The Milwaukee Brewers have assigned 18-year-old outfielder Heeju Shin to their Dominican Summer League affiliate, the DSL Brewers Gold, according to the MiLB transaction log.

The move places the left-handed-hitting, right-handed-throwing prospect on one of Milwaukee’s two Rookie-level clubs in the Dominican Republic as he begins his professional career.

Shin signed a minor league free-agent contract with the Brewers on August 16, 2026.

He is the third South Korean high school player to join an MLB organization this year, following pitcher Park Chan-min (Philadelphia Phillies) and infielder Eom Jun-sang (Arizona Diamondbacks).

Financial terms of Shin’s deal were not disclosed.

He is the first player from Cheongdam High School in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, to sign with a major league club and the first South Korean amateur to join the Brewers since Park Chul-soon in 1980.

Born February 25, 2008, in Ulsan, Republic of Korea, Shin stands 175 centimeters (about 5-foot-9) and weighs 72 kilograms (roughly 159 pounds).

He spent his high school career primarily as an outfielder but has also played infield positions, giving him positional versatility that appealed to Milwaukee’s scouts.

In 24 games this season through mid-August, he hit .341 with 16 RBIs and 14 stolen bases while drawing 17 walks against only seven strikeouts. A year earlier, in the second half of the Weekend League Gyeonggi Region C season, he batted .625 (10-for-16) with a home run and seven RBIs.

Brewers Korea-based scout SJ Lee described Shin as a “hidden gem,” citing his plate discipline, contact skills, some power, and speed.

Lee noted that Shin’s relatively modest size may have kept him under the radar with other clubs, but Milwaukee—which prioritizes skills over traditional size metrics—saw a versatile player capable of developing further within its system.

Shin is expected to gain early professional experience in the Dominican Summer League, a Rookie circuit designed for young international signees to adjust to pro baseball, refine fundamentals, and compete against peers of similar age and experience.

The assignment marks the formal start of Shin’s minor league career. With no professional stats yet recorded, his development path will begin in the Caribbean before any potential progression through the Brewers’ stateside affiliates.

For an organization long regarded for its player-development success, particularly with international talent, the signing and subsequent DSL placement represent another opportunity to cultivate a young, athletic prospect from an emerging pipeline of Korean amateurs.