*This content was translated by AI.
LG Twins right-hander Lee Min-ho (25) returned from military service and headed to the spring camp with determination.
Lee Min-ho met with reporters at Incheon International Airport ahead of his departure from the LG Spring Camp in Scottsdale, Arizona, on the 23rd and expressed his honest feelings, saying, "I have no more room to spare."
Lee Min-ho, who joined LG as the first pick in the 2020 KBO Rookie Draft after graduating from Hwimungo, was considered a rising star to lead LG's mound three years ago. He played full-time in the first division from his debut year, and before joining the army, he recorded 24-23 with a 4.58 ERA and 247 strikeouts in 351 ⅔ innings in 76 games. In particular, in 2022, he is expected to become the youngest LG native starter to win 10 games with 12 wins and 8 losses and an ERA of 5.51 in 26 games, playing a key role in the starting lineup even after discharge.
However, while he was in the military, the LG mound changed 180 degrees. Franchise star Lim Chan-kyu (34) has emerged as a native ace, and Son Joo-young (28) in 2024 and Song Seung-ki (24) in 2025 have emerged, making it the strongest team in the league. Last year's fourth integrated victory was also due to the power of the native starters. Lim Chan-kyu, Son Joo-young and Song Seung-ki combined for a total of 33 wins with 11 wins each, rewriting the record of 10 wins for the three native starters of the 1994 Sanghoon Lee, Kim Tae-won and Jung Sam-heum trio in 31 years.
Reserves from promising prospects are also bound to be nervous. Lee Min-ho said, "When I was around, there was always a lot of talk that our domestic starters were weaknesses. But now we have the best selection. Originally, I never thought I had a seat, but now I feel like I don't have one anymore. So this year, I think I should stick to the first team for a full season no matter what the position is," he stressed.
Lee Min-ho was a pitcher whose strength was a fast ball with a maximum speed of 151 kilometers per hour and a slider with a speed of 140 kilometers or more. It is also expected to benefit from the automatic pitching decision system (ABS) by directly inserting high strike zones. However, Lee Min-ho immediately made adapting to the two-and-a-half-year hiatus a top priority.
Lee Min-ho said, "Before I joined the army, I was a fastball pitcher. But when I went back, it wasn't like that, so I studied the way to survive, such as throwing a breaking ball toward a body that I hadn't thrown before. I didn't really have a breaking ball after the slider, but I think I've gotten a lot better than before because I practiced a lot on curves and whatever."
"If I can raise the speed limit, I want to raise it to 165km/h. But restraint is not up to me. First of all, I went to the military after surgery because I was sick, so the first thing not to be sick is not to be sick. "The first thing to do is to show when you're not sick, and if you can play a full season, that alone will be appreciated," he added.
He became a pitcher in his seventh year, but his mindset was similar to that of a rookie. It's because of the sense of crisis I felt myself. Lee Min-ho said, "I've also been to the military. You can't be sick or bad anymore. I have to do well, so I feel more willing to do well than relax," he said.
"My biggest concern is because I showed a really bad appearance before I went to the army. I honestly think it's an excuse to be sick now. Sickness is also a skill, and now that I've finished the surgery and prepared neatly, only good things are left. Fortunately, the ball speed came out better than expected in five to six practice games after being discharged from the military. I have to be better than now, and there are so many things to be better," he said.
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*This content was translated by AI.
