"Stealing bases and leading with QS," 23-year-old LG's home-field queen grows steadily... 28-save closer also praiseworthy: "My thoughts and signs matched."

*This content was translated by AI.

He hit a single and ended the inning with an accurate throw. On the mound, he led the starting pitcher to a strong performance of six innings with only one earned run. LG Twins catcher Lee Ju-heon (23) is gradually expanding his area of expertise even within limited playing opportunities.

Lee Ju-heon started at No. 8 and as catcher in the KT Wiz game held on the 18th at Suwon KT Wiz Park, recording one hit in four at-bats. He played behind the plate until being replaced by Park Dong-won (36) in the bottom of the eighth inning, leading LG to a decisive 12-1 victory.

He made his presence felt both at the plate and on defense. In the top of the second inning, during his first at-bat, he drove a changeup that broke away outside to right field for a hit despite being in an unfavorable 1-ball-2-strike count.

In the bottom of the third inning, he demonstrated his strengths as a catcher. With two outs, Choi Won-jun reached base on a hit-by-pitch and attempted to steal second base, but Lee Ju-heon made a quick and accurate throw to catch him, ending the inning immediately. Lee's caught-stealing rate this season stands at 24.1% (7 out of 29 attempts), ranking seventh among all league catchers who have played more than 300 innings.

He also showed stability in his pitching lead. LG starting pitcher Anders Tolhurst, who formed a battery with Lee Ju-heon, pitched well over six innings, allowing five hits (including one home run), issuing one hit-by-pitch, striking out seven batters, and giving up only one earned run. He achieved his 16th quality start of the season (defined as six or more innings pitched by a starting pitcher with three or fewer earned runs) to secure his 12th win (with nine losses) of the season.

The scenes of growth recently shown by Lee Ju-heon are not limited to this alone. Three days ago, on the 15th, during a match against the NC Dinos held at ChangwonNC Park, a single decision by the catcher changed the flow of a one-run game.

In the bottom of the eighth inning with LG leading 3-2, one out and runners on first and third bases, closer Son Ju-young (28) was on the mound facing Seo Ho-cheol at the plate. Son struck out Seo Ho-cheol with a swinging strikeout. However, that alone did not end the crisis.

As soon as Lee Ju-heon caught the ball, he threw it to third base. NC executed a hit-and-run play, and Koo Bon-hyuk (29) tagged off-base third baseman Oh Tae-yang. In an instant, two outs were recorded, ending the inning.

It was a play that LG's bench had anticipated and prepared for in response to NC's strategy. Still, it fell to the catcher to execute it in the actual situation. Lee Ju-heon did not hesitate at the most critical moment. Koo Bon-hyuk, who contributed to the double out, previously explained, "I did give him a signal (Lee) Ju-heun said he received it. We had decided that if a swing-and-miss strikeout occurred, we would throw to third base without fail. I'm really glad we went with that."

It was also an unexpected scene for Son Ju-young, who met with StarNews in Changwon recently. Son said, "I only thought about batting and competing. I was just thinking about what kind of pitch to throw to get a ground ball or a strikeout," recalling the moment when "(Joo) Heon suddenly threw to third base, and I saw that a runner was being tagged."

In the ninth inning, a greater crisis arrived. With consecutive hits from Cheon Jae-hwan and Kim Hyung-jun, the bases were loaded with no outs. A single hit could have tied the game. However, the battery of Son Ju-young and Lee Ju-heon remained steady. After striking out Kwon Hee-dong, they induced a 3-2-1 double play on Shin Jae-in. LG held on for a 3-2 victory, and Son Ju-young recorded his 28th save of the season.

For Son Ju-young, this game left a lasting impression not only of his own save but also of Lee Ju-heon's remarkable growth. Son Ju-young said, "I think it was a game where (Lee) Ju-heon really grew a lot," adding, "He faced two tight crises and managed to overcome them well. He did a great job with the block and also caught the runner at third base."

The two have not been working together for the first time. Son Ju-young said, "(Lee) Ju-heon and I were starters together last year, pitching close to 60 to 70 innings, so he knows me well now. What we did last year was very helpful. This time, he actively gave me signs for tricky pitches like the forkball and curve that are hard to control on his own," he laughed.

Of course, there is still a difference compared to when he coordinated with veteran Park Dong-won. Son Ju-young said, "After doing it for three years, I now know what (Park) Dong-won wants and what he thinks," adding, "I have learned a lot about pitch selection from Dong-won, so in fact, I feel more comfortable playing with him."

Lee Ju-heon and Son Ju-young have not yet spent as much time together. Son Ju-young described the difference not as "anxiety" but as "strangeness." He honestly said, "(Lee) Ju-heon has practiced a lot with us last year, but not so much this year. It's not anxiety; it feels more strange, and I feel I have a bit more responsibility."

However, it was not solely Son Ju-young who guided Lee Ju-heon. Recalling the final double play in the ninth inning, Son Ju-young said, "When I caught the double play, the sign that Ju-heon gave matched mine." He continued, "Ju-heon also realized while we were working together that 'Hyung (older brother) Ju-young likes this style and needs to throw this kind of pitch.' Thinking about that, I think I was helpful, but Ju-heon was probably even more helpful to me."

Yeom Kyung-yeop (58), the LG manager, emphasizes to young catchers that this experience is ultimately what matters. Manager Yeom's stance is that a catcher must be able to read which pitches from the day's pitcher are effective, how batters react, and what kind of decisions should be made in various game situations.

Lee Ju-heon is still going through that process. With a clear starting catcher, Park Dong-won, his playing time is limited, but he is steadily building up his experience within it. This season, as of the 18th, Lee has appeared in 68 games, recording a batting average of 0.215 (28 hits in 130 at-bats), four home runs, 17 RBIs, 12 runs scored, and an OPS (on-base plus slugging) of 0.602.

However, a catcher's growth is difficult to gauge solely by batting average or home runs. On the 15th in Changwon, he immediately made a throw to third base upon fielding the ball in a one-run crisis, cutting off the opponent's chase. Three days later in Suwon, he prevented a stolen base with an accurate throw and supported the starting pitcher's strong performance of six innings allowing only one run.

It is not just a single good play; similar scenes are repeating slightly. While LG waits for a young catcher to take over after Park Dong-won, Lee Ju-heon is also providing answers one game at a time.

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*This content was translated by AI.