'Overcoming the Pain of Release, Awaiting KT Debut' Lee Jung-beom Waits for SSG "I'll be playing at Munhak starting tomorrow..."

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Jung-beom (28), wearing a KT Wiz uniform, announced his fresh start by making his first appearance in the starting lineup for the first division since joining the team.

Ahead of their away game against LG Twins at Seoul Jamsil Stadium on the 20th, KT selected Lee Jung-beom as the seventh designated hitter. This move comes after the team lost both of two midweek games out of three consecutive series, putting them at risk of being swept, and aims to inject new energy into their offense. Lee's first appearance in a starting lineup for the first division marks 88 days since his last such outing on May 24 while playing for SSG Landers against Gwangju KIA Tigers.

A graduate of Incheon High School, Lee Jung-beom was drafted by SK Wyverns (now SSG) in the second round of the 2017 rookie draft as the 46th overall pick. He earned recognition for his refined batting skills with a career Futures League batting average of 0.315. However, he failed to secure a permanent spot on the first division team and endured the pain of release in June. Just eight days after his release, on July 7, he received a call from KT, donned the number 0 jersey, dominated in the Futures League, improved his batting form, and finally tasted the joy of being called up to the first division.

In 39 Futures League games, Lee posted a solid batting average of 0.333 (45 hits in 135 at-bats), with his average reaching as high as 0.364 over his last 10 games. KT Wiz manager Lee Kang-cheol (60) commented on Lee, saying, "We received reports that he performs well in the second division. Given that our first division batting pace has recently declined, we decided to start him."

Meeting reporters before the game, Lee Jung-beom said, "I heard the news of joining the first division team after receiving a call from my manager just before going to sleep yesterday (the 19th)." He added with a smile, "I was excited, but surprisingly, I slept very well."

When asked about the secret behind his consistent good results in the Futures League since joining KT, he pointed to a "change in mindset." He explained, "In the past, when I made it to the first division, I felt a strong psychological pressure that I had to perform perfectly. Since coming to KT, I decided to relax and swing the bat confidently without any distracting thoughts at the plate. As a result, good outcomes naturally followed."

After the starting lineup was announced, Lee received a brief but weighty word of encouragement from manager Lee Kang-cheol: "Do your best." His gaze immediately turned toward the upcoming matchup against his former team, SSG. KT will play a three-game series at Incheon SSG Landers Field starting on the 21st. He expressed mixed emotions and anticipation, saying, "Meeting my former team makes me nervous, but I'm also very excited. After all, I'll be playing at Munhak starting tomorrow..."

He has already smoothly adapted to his new home, KT. Lee said, "When I first arrived, (Ryu) Hyun-jin and (Kwon) Dong-jin, who were friends of mine, took good care of me. Other teammates like Jo Dae-hyun also looked after me well." He added, "Thanks to the support from fellow players in the second division, we encouraged each other and quickly integrated into the team."

Finally, addressing KT fans, Lee said, "Many of you may not know me well yet, but I want to leave a strong impression through my good performances." He firmly vowed, "I will do my best at every plate appearance, not only in this away game but also in the Suwon home games, to remain on the first division roster continuously."

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*This content was translated by AI.