“I thought getting 100 hits would be difficult… “
The Lotte Giants failed to advance to the postseason for six consecutive years. However, the 2023 season also confirms hope. Discovering Kim Min-seok (19), a rookie outfielder and ‘Sajik idol’, was definitely a success. Kim Min-seok, who graduated from Whimoon High School, entered the team as the 3rd pick in the first round this season and immediately took a starting position in the outfield.
In 126 games until the Gwangju KIA match on the 12th, 391 at-bats, 101 hits, batting average of 0.258, 3 home runs, 39 RBI, 53 runs, 16 stolen bases, OPS of 0.659, scoring average of 0.276. Since it is his first time playing full-time, it is his fate to endure a drop in pace at the end of the season. The batting average was only 0.219 in August and 0.211 since September. After the KIA game on August 11, it reached 0.290, but then collapsed.
He was evaluated as a rookie-level player with his contact ability, so much so that he was called the next Lee Jeong-hoo. However, as he played each of the final games of the season, he became less of an average manager. According to the baseball statistics website Stats, Kim Min-seok’s batting average for each pitch this season is 0.255 for fastball, 0.280 for slider, 0.250 for curve, 0.226 for change-up, and 0.115 for splitter. He was a bit weak on that side of his body, dividing the strike zone into nine.
While broadcasting a Lotte game this season, SBS Sports commentator Lee Soon-cheol pointed out that Kim Min-seok attacks fastballs with good posture, but his posture is somewhat lacking when it comes to breaking balls. Excluding the slider, the batting average on breaking balls was not high, so this part is also subject to check.
Still, the fact that a rookie hit .209 in 126 full-time games deserves high praise. He had to face pitchers with a level of speed and command he had never seen before in high school. It is certain that his experience this season will serve as nourishment for his future growth.
Moreover, Kim Min-seok played infield until high school, but switched to outfield when he came to the pros. Managing averages may not have been easy as you were taking on a new position in an unfamiliar environment. If the defense is shaky, it may have a negative effect on the batting.
Acting manager Lee Jong-woon said, “We have accomplished a great job. Fresh out of high school, he played the infield and then went to the outfield. The outfield defense needs to be improved. Still, he is doing well considering he moved from playing infield to outfield. He is a good player, as evidenced by his batting. “I look forward to more from him in the future, and I think he will become a key player for the team.”
Due to a severe slump at the end of the season, he was not sure of getting 100 hits in the season. However, on the 11th, he hit 100 hits by driving in 4 hits against Lotte in Busan for the first time in a long time. Acting manager Lee Jong-woon said, “I thought it would be difficult to get 100 hits because it wasn’t good, but we hit it hard. It is the result of your own hard work. “He did a great job.”메이저놀이터
I heard that Kim Min-seok is the next Lee Jung-hoo. In fact, Lee Jeong-hoo is a junior at Whimoon High School. In 2017, his debut season, Lee Jung-hoo appeared in all 144 games and hit 179 hits with a batting average of 0.324. Kim Min-seok’s first season was worse than that. However, for Lotte, just confirming Kim Min-seok’s potential is a harvest. He has clearly discovered the driving force of the future.