‘Proper noun’ first-rounder Kim Bum-seok will start in his hometown.
The LG Twins made a major change on the first day of their autonomous lineup. On Friday against the Busan Lotte Giants, LG lined up Hong Chang-ki (right fielder), Park Hae-min (center fielder), Moon Sung-joo (left fielder), Kim Min-sung (third baseman), Seo Gun-chang (designated hitter), Kim Bum-seok (first baseman), Son Ho-young (shortstop), Heo Do-hwan (catcher), and Shin Min-jae (second baseman). Austin Dean was initially listed as the No. 4 hitter, but was dropped from the final roster. Five starters – Park Hae-min, Kim Hyun-soo, Oh Ji-hwan, Park Dong-won, and Austin Dean – were dropped from the lineup, and Ahn Ik-hoon, Kim Bum-seok, Son Ho-young, and Seo Geon-chang entered the lineup.
Kim Bum-seok is the most notable hitter. Kim Bum-seok is a catching prospect who was selected with the seventh pick in the first round of this year’s rookie draft and came to LG with a contract worth 250 million won. At the time of his selection, LG general manager Cha Myung-seok said, “I named him Kim Bum-seok. In the future, the unique name of Kim Bum-seok will become a synonym for Korean baseball.” He made an impression on baseball fans with his statement.
Kim, who played only as a designated hitter in the Futures League this season due to a bad shoulder, batted .258 (56-for-196) with six home runs and 31 RBIs in the second team. He hasn’t played in a Futures League game since Aug. 6 against Lotte due to side pain.
He was called up to the first team on Sept. 30 but didn’t make a single appearance.
He briefly played for the first team during the ‘First Team Tour’ in June. On June 3, he went 0-for-2 as a substitute against NC, and on June 6, he made his first start against Kiwoom, going 0-for-2 with a walk and an RBI in four at-bats.
“The players had a ceremony yesterday, so they needed to rest,” said LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop. “Austin was in the lineup first because he was batting second, but he said he wanted to rest as well, so I changed him.”
“I put him in the first team and had him practice as a first baseman, but his movement wasn’t bad, so I decided to send him out,” Yeom said. Kim Bum-seok was a catcher at Gyeongnam High School, but he also played a lot of first base, so he didn’t have much trouble. “It’s like a dream to play at Sajik Stadium, where I watched a lot of baseball as a child, and I think it will be exciting and fun,” he said before the game. He hit a home run at Sajik Stadium during the Futures All-Star Game last July and won the MVP award.안전놀이터
Kim also made the first team and played in the regular season championship game. “The seniors worked hard, and I was lucky enough to come and do it with them, so it was really meaningful and I’m grateful to them,” Kim said.
Kim Bum-seok, who has yet to make his debut hit, is especially excited to face Gyeongnam High School senior Han Hyun-hee in the Lotte lineup. “It was written in Gyeongnam High School that Han Hyun-hee had a no-hit no-run,” Kim Bum-seok said, “and I wanted to play against her, so it’s great to be able to do so.”