The top South Korean baseball league said Monday it will open its annual draft to overseas-based amateurs and ex-professionals with Korean passports.

The Korea Baseball Organization said it started accepting applications on Monday, and the deadline is Aug. 11. The draft is Sept. 11.

Those who finished high school in South Korea and played for foreign professional clubs without having competed in the KBO may enter the draft, as long as their initial pro contract expired before Jan. 31, 2016.

Overseas-based amateurs who have never played professional in South Korea, and those who graduated from schools outside Korea and played pro ball overseas are also eligible for the draft.

In addition, any player who has dropped out of South Korean high school or university registered to the Korea Baseball Softball Association can enter the draft.

The application form can be downloaded at the KBO's website, www.koreabaseball.com, and completed forms must be submitted to the KBO's operations department, with a copy e-mailed to barney.yoo@koreabaseball.or.kr.

The KBO will schedule a tryout for successful applicants, with the time and location of the tryout to be determined later. (Yonhap)