Kim Min-seok (21, Doosan Bears) changed his uniform after the last season. Lotte Giants sent Kim Min-seok and Choo Jae-hyun to Doosan and made a 2-2 trade to receive Jung Chul-won and Jeon Min-jae.

The deal would have been hard to achieve in 2023. After joining Lotte in the first round of the 2023 rookie draft, he hit a batting average of 0.255 with 102 hits in his first year as a professional. He became the eighth high school graduate to have more than 100 hits in his debut season. He proved why he was called the "second Lee Jung-hoo" when he was playing at Whimoon High School.메이저놀이터

Kim played in 41 games in 2024, and only had a batting average of 0.211 or 16 hits. The strikeout rate per batter's box in 2023 was relatively high at 24.7 percent, but it was also recorded at 24.1 percent last year. Another problem was that he started the season with an abdominal muscle injury during exhibition games. Eventually, Lotte put him on the trade market to strengthen its bullpen and infield system.

Kim Min-seok, who met at Doosan's inaugural ceremony held at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul on the 15th, looked back, saying, "There is a part where I became impatient because I was obsessed with the number of hits. We set the goal of the number of hits and started 2024." The "high school rookie 100 hits" that followed him became a medal, but being conscious of a better record in 2024 shook him.

"I think I can do better than last year if I keep doing what I have to do, regardless of my numbers," Kim said. "It is fortunate in a way that I came at an early age when I was in a slump. To be honest, I was embarrassed (by last year's performance). I am training hard so that I will not repeat (the same thing)."

Kim Min-seok also dreams of growing in defense. Doosan uses Jamsil Stadium, which has the widest outfield in the KBO League, as its home. For this reason, outfielders with excellent speed, such as Jung Soo-bin and Cho Soo-haeng, are appointed in Doosan. Kim Min-seok, who was an infielder until high school, is pointed out that his batting judgment is still late and his throwing is weak. "I will ask Jung Soo-bin how to start in the outfield defense and how to throw strongly," Kim Min-seok said.

Attention is also focusing on a showdown with Lotte, his former team. "I think he will not be unfamiliar with (Lotte Home-in) taking the batter's box at Sajik Stadium in Busan. I have to fight (Lotte) pitcher, and I want to do well," Kim said. "I want to play against Kim Won-joong (Lotte's closing) at the ninth inning. The fact that he came up to the mound means that the game will be tight. I want to hit (a hit) in that situation."