*This content was translated by AI.
An eighth-round player from the KIA Tigers made a mistake. Right-hander Kim Min-jae (23), who is currently serving in the Armed Forces Sports Unit (Sangmu), became the main player of the team's no-hitter.
Sangmu won 2-0 against the SSG Landers Futures team in the 2026 MediHill KBO Futures League home game at Mungyeong Sangmu Baseball Stadium in Mungyeong, Gyeongsangbuk-do on the 22nd. With three wins and no losses, Sangmu took the lead alone in the Northern League. SSG has yet to secure a victory due to its third consecutive loss.
Sangmu starter Kim Min-jae set the stage for victory with three walks and five strikeouts without a hit in six innings. Jung Ji-heon, who took the mound afterwards, joined the team in the first ⅔ inning, Park Ji-ho in the ⅓ inning, and Jin Seung-hyun in the first inning without hitting or losing a point. On top of that, Kang Sung-woo, who was the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the fifth inning, hit a solo shot to the left against Eidou to secure the victory.
In particular, Kim Min-jae's good pitching was remarkable. After graduating from Hyoje Elementary School, Cheongnyang Middle School, Shinil High School, and Dongwon Science and Technology University, Kim Min-jae joined KIA in the 76th place in the eighth round of the 2024 KBO Rookie Draft. He recorded a 10.50 ERA in five games in the first team for two years after his debut and headed to Sangmu during the 2025 season.
At the time of the nomination, KIA said, "Kim Min-jae has high growth potential based on his excellent physical conditions and athletic ability." In fact, Kim Min-jae threw a fastball of up to 150 kilometers per hour, and was dispatched to the Australian Baseball Organization (ABL) after the end of the 2024 season.
On this day, Kim Min-jae started by striking out Kim Jung-min and Lee Seung-min in a row. He gave Ryu Hyo-seung a walk in the second inning, but he doubled Hyun Won-hoe and handled Shin Bum-soo with a fly ball to finish with three batters.
He didn't give a run despite his defensive errors and sudden control difficulties. After two outs in the fourth inning, he gave a walk in a row and finished the inning by treating Hyun Won-hoe with another ground ball to the third base. In the last six innings, he struck out Ahn Jae-yeon and Kim Jung-min in a row, then caught Lee Seung-min with a third-base foul fly to complete the quality start pitching.
Jung Ji-heon and Park Ji-ho also walked one by one and finished without losing a point, and Jin Seung-hyun struck out Ryu Hyo-seung in the ninth inning and tied the game with one perfect inning.
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*This content was translated by AI.
