Barnes agreed Monday with the Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization on a one-year, $200,000 contract, Jee-ho Yoo of Yonhap News Agency reports.
Barnes had previously joined the Reds on a minor-league pact in February and was set to open the season at Double-A Chattanooga before the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in affiliated ball being suspended indefinitely. With the increasing unlikelihood that a minor-league season will be played in 2020, the Reds were willing to let Barnes pursue work elsewhere, and the 34-year-old ultimately found a lucrative opportunity overseas. Expect Cincinnati to formally waive its rights to Barnes in the coming days in order to clear the way for him to join Hanwha, where he'll be replacing another American outfielder in Jared Hoying, who was recently cut by the team.