'Korea's Best Hitter' Kim Do-young Makes Shocking Shift to Shortstop... KIA Dreams of Coexisting with 'Third Base Power Prospect' Lee Ho-min

*This content was translated by AI.

"We select the Kia Tigers. Lee Ho-min, third baseman from Gyeongnam High School."

This was a choice as expected as Ha Hyeon-seung (Kiwoom) at first overall and Kim Ji-woo (Doosan) at second. However, KIA General Manager Shim Jae-hak (54) specifically pointed out the position, singling out "third baseman" for Lee Ho-min (18).

This raised even more questions given that it was Kim Do-young (23), a league-leading player and MVP winner who is currently leading the league in home runs. The reason behind this became clear through General Manager Shim's explanation.

On the 21st, KIA used its third-round pick in the first round of the 2027 KBO Rookie Draft on Lee Ho-min at the World Crystal Ballroom of Seoul Lotte Hotel.

In 20 games this year, he posted a .420 batting average (69 at-bats, 29 hits), 2 home runs, 19 RBIs, 12 runs scored, and 6 stolen bases, with an OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) of 1.132, earning him recognition as a top-tier batter nationwide. At the recently held Asian Youth Baseball Championship, he recorded a .429 batting average (14 at-bats, 6 hits), 1 home run, 7 RBIs, and an OPS of 1.301 over 6 games, contributing to Korea's first championship in eight years. While Ha Hyeon-seung (Busan High) shone on the mound, Lee Ho-min's presence at the plate was overwhelming.

As a power-hitting prospect from Gyeongnam High School following in the footsteps of Lee Dae-ho (retired), Noh Si-hwan (Hanwha Eagles), and Han Dong-hee (Lotte Giants), expectations were high. A shared trait is that they are all third base resources. Immediately after being drafted, Lee Ho-min expressed confidence as a power-hitting prospect, saying, "I was called 'Little Lee Dae-ho,' and I think I resemble him the most."

One puzzling aspect was the position. Even if Lee Ho-min is a promising power hitter, Kim Do-young is not in a position to compete with rookie players.

General Manager Shim provided a clear answer. Meeting reporters immediately after the draft, Shim explained, "It's because we told Kim Do-young that he would be moving to shortstop. It might be too hasty an expectation, but if Lee Ho-min establishes himself at third base and delivers results, there is no better situation than that."

As General Manager Shim stated, if Kim Do-young settles into shortstop and Lee Ho-min takes over third base, the power of KIA's lineup will inevitably become even more formidable. Regarding Lee Ho-min, Shim said, "We deliberated the most on selecting a first-round player. We also held meetings with the field staff. I wondered whether a player with such power-hitting tools could emerge so soon. I think we selected a good player." He added, "Honestly, the final decision was made yesterday. We deliberated extensively, but ultimately reached a unanimous consensus and selected him without hesitation. He will become a great player."

However, the coexistence of 'Lee Do-young' and 'No. 3 Ho-min' is only possible on the premise that Kim Do-young successfully transitions to shortstop.

Kim Do-young, who led his team to a championship and claimed MVP with a .347 batting average, 38 home runs, 109 RBIs, 143 runs scored, and 40 stolen bases in 2024, struggled with injuries last year but has already hit 40 home runs and recorded 102 RBIs in 123 games this season. According to the baseball statistics site Statz, his Wins Above Replacement (WAR) is 8.14, ranking second overall, and even when considering defensive WAR alone, he ranks fifth, having perfectly settled into third base.

However, the situation could be different if he moves to shortstop. Adapting to shortstop, which requires more activity than third base—the position he was most familiar with since his debut—is by no means easy. Even if he displays outstanding defensive performance, physical issues could lead to a decline in batting statistics.

Of course, there are success stories of power-hitting shortstops. In 1990, Jang Jong-hoon (then Binggrae) won the home run title (28) and claimed the shortstop Gold Glove, while in 1997, Lee Jong-beom (then Haitai) secured the shortstop Golden Glove with 30 home runs and 64 stolen bases.

In 2014, Kang Jung-ho (then Nexen) also headed to Major League Baseball after spending a career-high season with 40 home runs and 117 RBIs. Kim Ha-seong (then Kiwoom) in 2020 also made his way to the American stage after a best season with 30 home runs and 109 RBIs. For Kim Do-young, who is already attracting attention from Major League scouts, expanding his defensive versatility could further enhance his value for a move to the U.S.

However, things do not always unfold according to a positive scenario. Kim Do-young differs significantly from previous power-hitting shortstops. While all of them consistently played shortstop, Kim Do-young has played exclusively at third base since his debut. After his rookie season, he settled into third base and appeared at shortstop for only 31 innings across six games.

For Kim Do-young, who played in just 30 games last year due to a hamstring injury, the challenge of shortstop could be a change that increases the burden of injury. Even if he handles defense without issues, it may become difficult to expect batting results as strong as his current performance. In the worst-case scenario, there is no way to rule out the possibility of both his defense and offense declining. It is not uncommon to witness players who were previously performing well experiencing severe slumps after attempting changes such as new defensive positions in a new season.

The addition of Lee Ho-min, an outstanding batting resource, is a clear expectation factor for KIA. However, it is inevitable that concerns arise about whether Kim Do-young, who is having such a perfect season, might lose his prominence due to the position change.

Of course, this could turn out to be unfounded worry. Given that Kim Do-young always exceeds expectations, KIA fans are cultivating both concern and anticipation for what kind of results may follow.

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*This content was translated by AI.