'GG Second Baseman, Futures League RBI Leader, Saves Champion' 13 Soldiers Discharged from Army Baseball Team, Shifting the Ranking Landscape with 'Reserve Force Butterfly Effect'

*This content was translated by AI.

As many teams face a surge of injured players and resort to survival tactics, soldiers returning from service arrive like reinforcements of ten thousand troops.

Jung Eun-won (Hanwha Eagles), Jeon Ui-san (SSG Landers), Song Myeong-gi (both 26), and Lee Yong-jun (24, NC Dinos), among 13 players from the Army Baseball Team (ROK Army), have completed their one-day military service.

They are now immediately eligible for registration in the first-division rosters. Each team is expected to be able to utilize them as early as the 2nd, depending on their needs.

Some players have drawn particular attention. Jung Eun-won, who won the 2021 second baseman Golden Glove award, fell into severe ups and downs in 2023 and eventually chose to enlist in the military after bouncing around the minor league the following year.

Jung Eun-won, who posted a batting average of 0.267 last year, leaving some room for improvement, has shown an upward trend in all statistics this season. In 38 games, he recorded a batting average of 0.280 (132 at-bats, 37 hits), 3 home runs, 31 RBIs, 21 runs scored, 30 walks, 16 strikeouts, an on-base percentage of 0.404, a slugging percentage of 0.417, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.821.

While it remains uncertain whether he can be utilized immediately in the first division given that Lee Do-yoon has recently been solidly holding down Hanwha's second base, he has demonstrated a clear high point, and is expected to provide strength for Hanwha's future moves.

Kim Kyung-moon, the manager, also recently praised him, saying, "I've been watching him carefully. He has improved a lot." However, he added, "We need to look at Ji Geum-eun (SVP)'s situation, not just our one game, one game. We'll have to see when he comes out."

SSG also gains significant strength. Jeon Ui-san, a power-hitting prospect selected in the first round of the 2020 rookie draft, hit 13 home runs in 2022 but joined the Army Baseball Team after leaving some room for improvement in the following two seasons.

Last year, he played 98 games with a batting average of 0.319, 16 home runs, 72 RBIs, 60 runs scored, and an OPS of 0.927, showing good performance. This season, in 45 games, he recorded a batting average of 0.344 (157 at-bats, 54 hits), 9 home runs, 47 RBIs, 29 runs scored, an on-base percentage of 0.444, a slugging percentage of 0.580, and an OPS of 1.024, joining SSG with the best batting form, leading the Futures League in RBIs and slugging percentage, ranking second in batting average, and third in home runs.

SSG is currently in a 12-game losing streak, the most in the club's history. During this period, the team's ERA (4.57) and batting average (0.220) have both fallen to the lowest levels, completely disrupting the team's balance. Expectations are high for whether Jeon Ui-san can step up to save the team.

NC is expected to enjoy the largest boost in team strength. NC has also been struggling with many injured players and even plummeted to the bottom of the standings, but it has now added depth to its pitching mound.

Song Myeong-gi, who rose as a hope for NC's starting rotation with 9 wins in 2020 and 8 wins in 2021 but experienced ups and downs afterward, and Lee Yong-jun, who will bolster the bullpen, are joining the team.

Song Myeong-gi recorded 8 wins (2 losses) in 17 games last year, but his ERA was 4.03, leaving some room for improvement. This season, he alternated between starting and relief roles in 9 games, posting 1 win, 2 losses, 2 holds, and an ERA of 2.55. In particular, his batting average against was only 0.172, and while he allowed 7 walks, he recorded 20 strikeouts, demonstrating overwhelming power.

Lee Yong-jun did not leave a major impact in the first division, but he performed well in 54 games for the Army Baseball Team in 2025 with 7 wins, 3 losses, 15 saves, 2 holds, and an ERA of 3.54. This season, in 17 games, he posted 2 wins, 10 saves, and an ERA of 1.19, showing impressive pitching. His batting average against was also very low at 0.196. With stable pitching, he has risen to the top of the saves leaderboard.

With two pitchers strengthening both the starting rotation and the bullpen, the team's pitching power is expected to grow even further.

In addition, Doosan Bears will see pitchers Kim Dong-joo and Kim Young-hyun join, and KT Wiz will welcome pitcher Han Seung-joo and infielder Jung Jun-young, deepening their roster depth.

Kim Hyun-jun (Samsung Lions), Kang Hyo-jong (KIA Tigers), Jung Dae-seon (Lotte Giants), and Kim Si-ang and Kim Dong-hyuk (both Kiwoom Heroes), who showed somewhat disappointing performances at Ban Myeon (SVP), will also return to their respective teams. LG Twins is the only one of the 10th teams without any discharged players, so it will not benefit from any special team strength enhancement.

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*This content was translated by AI.