Can Min-seok Kim (19), a rookie in the first round of the Lotte Giants in 2023, follow in the footsteps of Jung-hoo Lee (25, Kiwoom Heroes)?
In the 2023 KBO League rookie draft, Lotte nominated Whimoongo infielder Kim Min-seok as the 3rd overall pick in the first round. Kim Min-seok attracted the attention of many scouts with his outstanding batting skills during his days in the league. Last year, when he was a senior in high school, he showed off his potential by recording a batting average of 0.544 (37 hits in 68 at-bats) in 20 games in the High School Baseball Weekend League and National High School Baseball Championship last year. He is evaluated as having as much talent as his high school senior Lee Jung-hoo.
Coincidentally, Kim Min-seok is following in the footsteps of his senior, Lee Jung-hoo. It is similar in that he graduated from Whimoon High School and was nominated in the top round as a right-handed left-handed hitter and entered the professional league. Immediately after joining, he has the possibility to play as an outfielder rather than an infielder, which is his main position.
After Lee Jung-hoo was nominated by Kiwoom (former Nexen), he shifted his position to the outfield to make use of his batting ability. After that, from the first year of his debut (2017), he showed potential by participating in all games and recording a batting average of over 30% (0.324). He grew up slowly, and last year, he vomited a spirit of winning five batting crowns (batting average, RBI, hits, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage).
Kim Min-seok is also classified as an outfielder and starts spring camp. It is not a complete position change. He is in the process of finding the right clothes by experiencing both infielders and outfielders. The club plans to evaluate Kim Min-seok in various ways while preparing for the spring camp and demonstration season. 안전놀이터
Not only the team, but also Lee Jung-hoo showed expectations for Kim Min-seok last year. Rather, he raised his thumb, saying that he was a better player than he was.
In an interview with Spotify News right after Kim Min-seok was nominated by Lotte last season, Lee Jung-hoo said, “I practiced with him at Whimoon High School in the off-season, and the physique conditions are the same, and I think I hit the bat much better than when I was in high school. My style is different. .I didn’t have the strength, but I was a hitter who took a full swing rather than running, but (Kim) Min-seok also made a full swing. I thought he would do really well because he showed all his swings.”
“There is an evaluation that the defense is not good, but it seems to be similar to me. Whimungo Ground is an environment where infielders cannot defend well. It is not good to use the school playground as a parking lot. Aside from that, defense can improve even in the pros if you practice enough. I hope he becomes the first Kim Min-seok (rather than the second Lee Jung-hoo) because he is much better than me.”
Just as Lee Jung-hoo prepared for his first year as a pro, Kim Min-seok is following a similar path. I wonder if Lotte’s rookie in the first round will be able to follow the footsteps of the pinch hitter.