'Hit as much as you want in Lapak' LG's last power-hitting prospect makes surprise call-up to the first division! Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop never forgot: "Lee Jae-won will start tomorrow" [Daegu on-site]

*This content was translated by AI.

LG Twins' last right-handed power-hitting prospect, Lee Jae-won (27), has been called up to the first division ahead of the final three-game series in the first half of the season.

Yeom Kyung-yeop, manager of LG, stated with emphasis ahead of the visiting game against Samsung Lions at Daegu Samsung Lions Park on the 7th for the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO League regular season: "(Lee) Jae-won will be given an opportunity early in the second half. He is currently filling in his fundamentals through training in the minor leagues, and I plan to confirm his readiness by communicating with the batting coach at the first division level. Tomorrow (the 8th) he will start."

This marks Lee's third call-up to the first division this season, just 33 days after being removed from the roster on June 4. Along with Song Chan-ui (27) and Moon Jung-bin (23), Lee is one of the power-hitting prospects identified by manager Yeom Kyung-yeop. Manager Yeom has previously noted that these three players are capable of hitting home runs over the fence even at Jamsil Baseball Stadium, widely considered the most difficult venue for such hits.

Lee was the prospect most anticipated heading into this season. Last year, while serving with the Army Corps (Sangmu), he posted a .329 batting average (91 hits in 277 at-bats) across 78 Futures League games, along with 26 home runs, 91 RBIs, 81 runs scored, and 5 stolen bases. He recorded an on-base percentage of 0.457 and a slugging percentage of 0.643, drawing high expectations. However, no significant improvement was evident upon his return to the first division after three years. In 30 first-division games this season, he hit .203 (12 hits in 59 at-bats) with 2 home runs and 8 RBIs, posting an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.650.

This contrasts sharply with the unexpected performances of Song Chan-ui and Moon Jung-bin, who have secured permanent spots on the first-division roster. Song played in 60 games, batting .292 (52 hits in 178 at-bats) with 8 home runs, 33 RBIs, 39 runs scored, and an OPS of 0.928, earning manager Yeom's endorsement as a regular starter. Moon Jung-bin, under strict management by the manager, has played in 31 games, batting .325 (25 hits in 77 at-bats) with 6 home runs, 19 RBIs, and an OPS of 1.073, smoothly completing a full-time season.

However, Lee has always remained on manager Yeom's radar. Coincidentally, the day before (the 6th), he delivered a standout performance against the Lotte Giants Futures team, recording 3 hits in 5 at-bats, including 2 home runs and 4 RBIs. This came after concerns arose from his previous four-game stretch, where he managed only 2 hits in 15 at-bats.

Manager Yeom joked, "The decision to call him up had already been made beforehand. Perhaps he hit those home runs because he heard the news and wanted to prove himself. That kind of motivation is extremely important." He further emphasized, "While training in the minor leagues and playing games, there may be moments where results don't immediately show in actual competition. We certainly take such factors into account when making decisions. Ultimately, this year must be about filling gaps so that he can grow another step next year."

For now, Lee will regain his rhythm from the first-division bench. The 8th, when Jack O'Clery takes the mound, will be his true stage. This opportunity was made possible by Song Chan-ui's growth, having proven his capabilities sufficiently during the first half of the season. Manager Yeom stated, "(Song) Chan-ui has grown significantly throughout the first half. In the second half, we plan to use him in a rotation with current starters to optimize his batting performance. Since it is summer now, this approach also helps manage his physical condition."

He continued, "Having more cards available for the second half means our chances of winning have increased. The fact that (Cheon) Sung-ho, (Moon) Jung-bin, and (Song) Chan-ui have developed into competitive players during the first half is a major asset for our team. In the second half, we will mix these players with starters to adjust their conditions and make choices that lead to victories."

On this day, LG arranged its lineup as follows: Hong Chang-ki (right fielder), Park Hae-min (center fielder), Austin Dean (first baseman), Moon Bo-kyung (third baseman), Moon Jung-bin (designated hitter), Moon Sung-ju (left fielder), Oh Ji-hwan (shortstop), Park Dong-won (catcher), and Shin Min-jae (second baseman). The starting pitcher was Tollhurst.

In response, Samsung lined up its batting order as: Kim Ji-chan (center fielder), Kim Hyun-jun (right fielder), Koo Ja-wook (left fielder), Choi Hyung-woo (designated hitter), Lewin Diaz (first baseman), Ryu Ji-hyuk (second baseman), Kang Min-ho (catcher), Kim Young-woong (third baseman), and Shim Jae-hoon (shortstop). The starting pitcher was Huardo.

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*This content was translated by AI.