'Samsung's massive good news!' Unenlisted Lee Jae-hyun and Bae Chan-seung join Kim Ji-chan in AG → Park Jin-man: "Replacement is fully possible"; Kim Young-ung narrowly misses out

*This content was translated by AI.

The young lions of the Samsung Lions have finally earned the right to wear the national emblem on their chests. With the robust support of manager Park Jin-man (50), infielder Lee Jae-hyun (23), pitcher Bae Chan-seung (20), and outfielder Kim Ji-chan (25) have made the final roster for the Asian Games representative team. Meanwhile, infielder Kim Young-ung (23), who had drawn high expectations, narrowly missed out.

The Korea Baseball and Softball Association (KBSA) and the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) officially announced the final roster for the baseball representative team that will compete in the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in September at the Press Center on the afternoon of the 11th. The Lee Beon (CEO) team was formed under strict self-imposed selection rules of "under 25 years of age or within the fourth year of professional debut" and a limit of "maximum three players per team."

With Samsung's young stars, who are the team's pride, lining up in the 24th-person roster announced today, Samsung has emerged as the biggest beneficiary and central pillar of the Lee Beon (CEO) team selection.

The most notable selection is the inclusion of the "unenlisted duo," Lee Jae-hyun and Bae Chan-seung, who have yet to resolve their military service issues. On the 2nd, when he met with on-site reporters in Daegu, manager Park Jin-man stated, "We have many players who should go to the representative team," adding, "There is Lee Jae-hyun, and there is Bae Chan-seung. These players are fundamentally equipped with ability," positioning himself as a passionate promoter. Under the commander's solid trust and active support, the two players boldly broke through the needle-hole-like gateway to the representative team with their skills. With Kim Ji-chan, who has been making a name for himself in all aspects of offense, defense, and base running, joining them, Samsung has filled the maximum limit of "three players per team," ushering in a massive piece of good news.

Concerns are also raised that the departure of three key players simultaneously will inevitably impact the late-season race for standings. However, manager Park Jin-man's attitude remains bold and cool.

On the 10th, one day before the roster announcement, in response to a question about concerns over a gap ahead of the KT Wiz game, manager Park said, "Our team has many young and capable backup players who can fill their vacancies. Replacement is fully possible," expressing strong trust in the remaining players. He added, "Especially in the position players, there are enough replacements even if some are absent. The same applies to pitchers. It will likely last about two weeks, so we will try to hold on well."

Meanwhile, infielder Kim Young-ung, whom manager Park personally highlighted as "Samsung's future," failed to make the final roster. It appears that his limited game appearances due to a recent hamstring injury ultimately held him back. Manager Park also previously expressed his concern for Kim Young-ung, saying, "I'm a bit worried because he hasn't played many games," showing his deep affection. Although he could not join the team for this Asian Games, there is no disagreement that he is a promising talent who will lead South Korean baseball in the future given his clear potential.

With the full support of the commander, Lee Jae-hyun, Bae Chan-seung, and Kim Ji-chan have finally taken flight with the national emblem. The eyes of baseball fans are now focused on whether these players will return from the international stage having grown further alongside a gold medal, leading the lion squad into a new era of dominance.

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*This content was translated by AI.