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The Pirates expect Jung Ho Kang to keep his court date next week in South Korea, which means the third baseman will not be with the team for at least the first week or two of spring training camp.
On Dec. 2, Kang was charged with driving under the influence and fleeing the scene of a DUI incident. It was his third arrest for drunken driving in South Korea.
Kang's trial is set for Feb. 22, which is five days after the Pirates' first full-squad workout in Bradenton, Fla. Under Korean law, Kang is required to attend the hearing, although he may request the trial be rescheduled until after the 2017 MLB season.
“We expect he will remain in South Korea,” general manager Neal Huntington said on Friday. “We will support him as he goes through that process.”
With Kang out indefinitely, the Pirates on Friday added some infield depth by trading minor league pitcher Frank Duncan to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Phil Gosselin.
“It absolutely does serve as insurance (for Kang's absence) if needed,” Huntington said. “But we also have been looking for an extra right-handed hitter, and Gosselin is a guy who can play multiple positions.”
Gosselin, 28, has played five positions, but the Pirates seem him primarily as a second baseman who also can help out at third and first bases.
“He has some shortstop in his history (eight games in 2014) and was used (two games) in left field last year,” Huntington said. “We still might run him out to those positions this spring and see where he's comfortable.”
Gosselin played in 122 games with the D'backs last season and batted .277 with a .692 OPS. Over four seasons in the majors with Arizona and the Atlanta Braves, he owns a .283 average and .716 OPS.
To open a spot for Gosselin on the 40-man roster, reliever Nefi Ogando was designated for assignment.
On Thursday, pitcher Lisalverto Bonilla was DFA'd to clear a spot for Pat Light. Huntington said Ogando and Bonilla will get non-roster invites to big league camp if they clear waivers.
Notes: After signing a 15-year naming right deal with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, McKechnie Field on Friday was remained LECOM (pronounced LEE-com) Park. The ballpark has been the Pirates' spring training home since 1969. The home team clubhouse at LECOM Park was named the Bill McKechnie Clubhouse to honor Bill McKechnie, a Pittsburgh native and Hall of Famer who managed the Pirates from 1922 to 1926.
Rob Biertempfel is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at rbiertempfel@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BiertempfelTrib.
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