Lotte’s choice was not a 154km ace or a high school home run king, but the ‘second Lee Jung-hoo’. Lotte’s top-class prospect, nicknamed “the second Lee Jung-hoo,” has been dreaming of a rebellion since his first professional debut season, while adapting smoothly in the first-team spring camp. Just like Lee Jung-hoo did.
The 2022 KBO rookie draft held in September of last year. The player Lotte nominated as the third overall pick in the first round was Kim Min-seok바카라.
Lotte had a wide range of choices in the first round, enough to have the right to pick the overall 3rd place. Gyeongnam High School ace Shin Young-woo, ‘154 km fireballer’, and Gyeongnam High School catcher Kim Beom-seok, ‘high school home run king’, were also candidates for Lotte to nominate in the first round, but Lotte called Kim Min-seok’s name without hesitation.
At the time, Lotte said, “Kim Min-seok is a player who has good contact, is fast, and has a very good BQ.” In particular, the evaluation that BQ, which means ‘baseball IQ’, is very good is impressive. It is judged that he has a high understanding of baseball and the ability to solve the game.
Kim Min-seok, wearing a Lotte uniform after receiving a down payment of 250 million won, accumulated experience while playing for Geelong Korea in Australia, and received the team’s expectations as he was listed on the first-team spring camp roster. He is still attracting the attention of the first team coaching staff to the extent that he is playing in practice games.
In real life, he shows a lot of spirit. In a practice game against SSG held on the 1st at Gushikawa Stadium in Uruma, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, Kim Min-seok started as the first hitter and center fielder, and raised Lotte’s expectations as he played an active role with 2 hits and 1 steal in 4 at-bats.
Kim Min-seok, who expressed the picture Lotte wanted on the ground, said, “I recorded 2 hits and 1 base in 4 at-bats, but I think I played the role given to the leadoff well.” I think I caught it. If I play again in the next game, I will play with confidence.”
If Kim Min-seok steadily gets opportunities in the 1st team stage this year, as he is now adjusting smoothly at camp, he will be able to follow the path of Whimoon High School senior Lee Jung-hoo bit by bit.