South Korean baseball All-Star Choi Jeong has denied hiring an agent to sign with a big-league club for next season.

Ahead of his SK Wyverns’ road game against the Kia Tigers in Gwangju, about 330 kilometers south of Seoul, on Tuesday, Choi was tightlipped about a recent report from the United States that he has signed on with an international agent and will try to play in Major League Baseball next year.

Earlier, CBSSports.com reported that Choi, a versatile third baseman who becomes a free agent after this season, could add “extra star power to the third base market” in the offseason.

The story also quoted Melvin Roman, introduced as Choi’s agent, as saying, “He has a strong desire to come and play in the major leagues.”

Choi turned down all interview requests on Tuesday, saying he didn’t have any comment on the U.S. report. Through the team, Choi said claims of his hiring an agent or preparing to jump to the big leagues next year “are not true.”

Choi, 27, is a perennial All-Star in the Korea Baseball Organization.

He has hit at least 20 homers and posted an on-base-plus-slugging percentage of at least .900 in each of the past four seasons.

Choi enjoyed his best offensive season in 2013, with career highs of 28 homers, 24 steals, a .551 slugging percentage and a .429 on-base percentage. (Yonhap)