Astros’ latest signing was nicknamed “Daejon Jesus” by fans

The Houston Astros might have missed out on one KBO star, with Cody Ponce signing with the Toronto Blue Jays, but they made sure they would be importing a hurler from South Korea after all.

The Astros are signed righty Ryan Weiss, also known as Daejon Jesus, from the Hanwha Eagles of the KBO, to a major league contract worth $2.6 million that also comes with an option for 2027. Ponce was thought of as a budget upside play for the cash-strapped Astros, but in Weiss, they'll be aiming lower and paying even less.

Weiss's "Daejon Jesus" nickname comes from the city where the Hanwha Eagles play their home games, his long brown locks, and his performance on the bump. The KBO isn't the highest level of competition, but there have been a handful of hurlers who reinvigorated themselves there and returned stateside to have successful careers. Is Weiss the next in line, or will he be just a fun nickname?

The Astros' signing of Ryan "Daejon Jesus" Weiss brings a fun nickname and intriguing dart throw into the fold

With a 2.87 ERA and 207 strikeouts in 178.2 innings, Weiss wasn't quite as dominant as Ponce in the KBO, but he made his presence known. The former fourth-round draft pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Weiss was ranked as Arizona's No. 18 prospect by Baseball America, who noted that his four-pitch repertoire was starter quality and he had the athleticism, delivery, and command to land in the rotation.

Weiss's velocity has increased over the years, with reports of him maintaining his heater in the high 90s in Korea. However, FanGraphs' Eric Longenhagen and James Fegan project him as a big league reliever, citing how nasty he looked when coming out of the pen during the KBO playoffs.

The heights Weiss reached in the KBO were greater than anything he accomplished as a Diamondbacks farmhand. That is both encouraging and concerning, given that the KBO competition is roughly equivalent to what one would see in the upper minors, meaning he may have improved, but by how much is a question.

Like Nate Pearson before him, this is a low-risk, high-reward kind of move. Weiss turns 29 on December 10, so while he's not super young, the move to Korea and back resets the clock some for him. If moves like Weiss and Pearson are all Houston does to address the rotation, they're likely in trouble, but before you scoff at these kinds of signings, remember that the rotation depth is also a serious question with Brandon Walter, Ronel Blanco, and Hayden Wesneski all on the mend from Tommy John surgery.

So welcome aboard Daejon Jesus, we'll be very interested to see what you can do here.