“If he fills up his shortcomings, he is a player who will become a pillar of Lotte.”
The growth rate of ‘Super Rookie’ Kim Min-seok (19, Lotte Giants) is frightening. Kim Min-seok started as the first hitter in the center fielder in the game against the Hanwha Eagles in the ‘2023 Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League’ held at Daejeon Hanwha Life Insurance Eagles Park on the 16th, and made a big success with 3 hits and 1 point in 5 at-bats. He was given the task of batting No. 1 in place of Ahn Kwon-soo, who had a bad elbow, and he did his part 200%. Lotte won 3-1 after a close match that went to the 10th inning and ran for 3 consecutive wins.
It is a growth rate that meets Lotte’s expectations. Kim Min-seok graduated from Whimoon High School and wore a Lotte uniform with the 3rd overall ranking in the 1st round of the 2023 rookie draft. He is also a high school junior of last year’s KBO league MVP Lee Jung-hoo (25, Kiwoom Heroes), and is a super rookie who is called “the second Lee Jung-hoo” as he is evaluated to have the same potential.
Kim Min-seok has been keeping the first-team entry ever since the opening. The fact that his high school graduate rookie has kept his place in the first team for more than a month after opening means that he is proving his usefulness well. In April, he had a period of adaptation by recording a batting average of 0.196 (11 hits in 56 at-bats), 6 RBIs, and 9 runs in 19 games, and from May he has been playing perfectly adapted to the first team stage. He had a batting average of 0.344 (11-for-32) and four RBIs in nine games in May.
The youngest, Kim Min-seok, was the hitter who harassed Hanwha ace Felix Pena the most. In the top of the first inning, he did not miss an opportunity to get on base by getting a four ball as the lead batter. He stole second base when Han Dong-hee was at bat with one out and first base, and scored thanks to An Chi-hong’s timely hit from the second out of second base. It was the moment when we had a 1-0 lead.
Since then, Kim Min-seok has been on base as long as he stands at bat. He hit to the right in the second at-bat as the lead batter in the top of the third inning, and hit the middle in the third at-bat after one shot in the top of the fifth inning. It was not an exaggeration to say that Kim Min-seok laid the foundation for Hanwha to lower Pena and start the bullpen from the 7th inning, although it did not lead to an additional goal due to a follow-up hit.카지노사이트
In the 4th at-bat after 2 outs in the top of the 7th inning, Kim Min-seok took away a double from the right fielder from Lee Tae-yang, showing off his climax of hitting feeling. In the beginning of the ninth inning, where the score was 1-1, with one company on first and second base, the shortstop hit the base with a ground ball, then stole second base and shook the Hanwha battery. In the end, Hanwha had to carry out a full-base operation to filter Jack Rex with the 4th pitch of the automatic high. As Han Dong-hee retreated with a shortstop ground ball, it did not lead to an additional point.
Noh Jin-hyeok, who hit the final two-run four in the 10th overtime, praised the youngest Kim Min-seok for his performance. Noh Jin-hyeok emphasized, “I feel like I’m following a little bit similarly, if not as much as Lee Jung-hoo. I still lack in defense, so if I fill in the gaps, I’m a player who will be a pillar of Lotte.”
He continued, “Although it’s a bit lacking, I still think I have good skills for a rookie. If I polish it well, I think a second Lee Jung-hoo will come out again.”