Austin, who also failed to achieve it, reveals his dream of becoming the first foreign investor to have a permanent number retired! "A thought I've had since my 1st or 2nd year in Korea → An immense honor"

*This content was translated by AI.

Austin Dean (33), the "filial foreign hitter" of LG Twins, has openly expressed his ambitious and sincere aspiration to become the first foreign player in KBO League history to have his number permanently retired.

Among the many legendary foreign players who have played in the KBO League, there has never been a single case where a specific team designated a player for permanent number retirement. This is a barrier even Dustin Nippert, who played 7 seasons exclusively with Doosan Bears, and Jay Davis, who played 7 seasons solely with Hanwha Eagles, could not overcome.

Austin is now approaching this achievement. Although he has played only four seasons from 2023 to 2026, LG achieved its long-held dream of winning the championship during his tenure, reaching the top not once but twice.

In a post-game interview on the 13th, when asked about Korean fans' desire for a long-term contract and further about "permanent number retirement," Austin smiled and shared his heartfelt thoughts.

Austin said, "Of course, I have dreams and hopes regarding permanent number retirement. This has always been something I've thought about since my first or second year in Korea." He added, "If I were to become the first foreign player in KBO League history to have my number retired by LG, it would be an immense personal honor."

He also expressed gratitude toward LG and its fans for their support. "LG gave me the opportunity to fall in love with baseball again and laid the foundation for me to become the kind of player I believed I could be. I am always grateful to the club and the fans," he said, adding, "My family truly loves life in Korea, and thanks to the fans' hospitality, I naturally feel a desire to end my career here."

Austin continued, "There is something I should mention: once the season ends, there will be discussions with LG. After all, stove league is stove league. Personally, I want to continue playing in Korea, and I hope the negotiations yield positive results. While I must make the best choice for myself and my family, ultimately, the conditions must be favorable enough that I do not have to return to the United States," he smiled.

In fact, LG is a special club even for Austin. In Major League Baseball, he played only 126 games over five seasons from 2018 to 2022. According to the U.S. sports salary analysis site Spotrac, his cumulative earnings during that period were approximately $1.07 million (about 1.5 billion won). However, for this season alone, Austin's salary reaches $1.1 million (approximately 1.6 billion won). Even when he first stepped onto Korean soil in the 2023 season, his total contract amount was $700,000 (about 1 billion won). This is how special LG is to Austin.

Although Austin is recognized for displaying exceptional leadership within the team, earning him the title of "foreign captain," he humbly redirected the spotlight to the actual captain. "The true leader of our team is Park Hae-min. Thanks to Park Hae-min, who led the team brilliantly during difficult times, we were able to quickly break out of losing streaks. My role is to talk with struggling teammates about hitting and share their concerns," he emphasized, adding, "If all our players regain their form, LG will become the most dangerous and formidable team in the league."

Austin, a reliable problem-solver for LG and the foreign hitter most beloved by fans, may yet write new history in the KBO League by achieving what no one else has: becoming the first foreign player to have his number permanently retired. It remains to be seen whether he can accomplish this feat.

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*This content was translated by AI.