Lotte Giants' Han Dong-hee, the 'successor to Lee Dae-ho' with no home runs in 24 games, heads to the 2nd division... Passing the baton with Na Seung-yeop and Go Seung-min... Doosan's Yang Seok-hwan and NC's Shin Jae-in also removed from the 1st division roster

*This content was translated by AI.

Han Dong-hee (27, Lotte Giants), who was hailed as Lee Dae-ho's successor and drew high expectations, has ultimately been notified of a move to the 2nd division.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) released the rosters of teams whose players were removed from the 1st division lineup on Monday, a day without games, via its official website on the 4th.

At Lotte, Han Dong-hee, along with Han Tae-yang and Kim Min-seong, were removed, while Yang Seok-hwan (Doosan Bears), Shin Jae-in and Won Jong-hae (both NC Dinos), Lee Hyung-jong, Im Ji-yeol, Kim Jae-hyun, and Lee Tae-yang (all Kiwoom Heroes), Lee Sang-young and Park Si-won (both LG Twins), and Kim Chang-pyeong (SSG Landers) were sent to Futures League teams.

Han Dong-hee's move to the 2nd division was somewhat predictable. A local boy who attended Pusan National University Elementary School, Gyeongnam Middle School, and Gyeongnam High School, Han was selected first overall in the 2018 draft and signed with Lotte, where he was evaluated as a potential successor to Lee Dae-ho. He hit double-digit home runs for three consecutive seasons from 2020, building expectations, but has disappointed this season.

While playing for the Army Baseball Team (Marine Corps), he led the league in batting triple crown last year with 27 home runs, 115 RBIs, and a slugging percentage of 0.675. After his discharge, he was expected to provide stability in Lotte's middle of the lineup, but since the start of the season, he has managed only a .233 batting average (21 hits in 90 at-bats) in 24 games. He hit no home runs, posting an on-base percentage of 0.274, a slugging percentage of 0.278, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.552. He drew four walks but recorded 21 strikeouts.

Although he received the most opportunities as the cleanup hitter, his spot in the lineup gradually dropped, and on the 3rd, he started as the designated hitter in the seventh spot against SSG. Before the game, Kim Tae-hyung, the manager, said, "Even if he's not hitting well right now, his timing is fine," but also pointed out, "When he swings, his weight doesn't transfer properly, and his body lifts up."

He also emphasized that Han must overcome his mental issues on his own, stating, "He needs to endure. Dong-hee (Han) needs to do more in the future." He added, "After watching today's game, if the situation doesn't improve, we can discuss ways to handle it and take some time to talk it over."

Though it was essentially his last chance, Han Dong-hee entered the batter's box three times and struck out each time. The team took the lead in the bottom of the 8th inning, but he was substituted for Jeon Jun-woo before the final at-bat in the 9th.

Some players had to be sent down because there were players who needed to be promoted. Go Seung-min, Na Seung-yeop, and Kim Se-min, who had received a 30-game suspension from the KBO after being caught visiting a private arcade during pre-season training in Taiwan, became eligible for registration. As a result, Han Dong-hee, Han Tae-yang, and Kim Min-seong were sent to the 2nd division.

Doosan's power hitter Yang Seok-hwan also struggled with a .205 batting average (18 hits in 88 at-bats), one home run, six RBIs, and an OPS of 0.533, ultimately receiving notification to move to the 2nd division.

Shin Jae-in, the overall second-round rookie who hit .300 during spring training, also felt the high barrier of the 1st division with a .149 batting average (7 hits in 47 at-bats) in 23 games and is expected to spend time in the 2nd division to regroup.

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*This content was translated by AI.