[Official] Will Choi Ji-man, 'KT's 2nd-round pick', play at Gocheok Dome? Ulsan, ranked first in its inaugural season, faces off against Sangmu for the Futures League title on the 28th, aiming for a 15th consecutive championship.

*This content was translated by AI.

The Ulsan Whales, who claimed the Southern League title in their inaugural season, and the Army team (Sangmu), which has maintained first place in its league for 15 consecutive years, will compete to determine the strongest team in the Futures League. Another point of interest is whether Choi Ji-man (35), recently selected by KT Wiz, will appear on the Gocheok stage wearing a Ulsan uniform.

The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) announced on the 23rd that "in the 2026 Futures League Championship Semifinals held on the 22nd, Southern League first-place Ulsan defeated Northern League second-place Hanwha, while Northern League first-place Sangmu beat Southern League second-place Lotte, both advancing to the finals."

The final match will be held at Seoul Gocheok Sky Dome at 6:30 p.m. on the 28th. Sangmu, with the higher regular-season win percentage, will play as the home team, while Ulsan will be the visiting team. Notably, there is one more name drawing attention ahead of the final for Ulsan.

That name is Choi Ji-man, who was selected by KT in the second round of the 2027 KBO Rookie Draft. After gaining experience on the Major League Baseball stage and preparing to join the KBO League with Ulsan this year, Choi recorded a .328 batting average (19 hits in 58 at-bats), two home runs, 12 RBIs, and a .487 on-base percentage across 28 Futures League games.

For Choi Ji-man, Ulsan holds more significance than just a temporary team. Selected by KT as the 15th overall pick in the second round of the recent 2027 KBO Rookie Draft, Choi told reporters, "Ulsan feels like my home ground, almost like a second hometown. I heard that during today's team training, they broadcasted the draft coverage on the stadium scoreboard. Many players are sending me messages." He added, "There is a Futures League playoff (Championship Semifinal: Ulsan vs. Moonsoo Stadium) tomorrow (the 22nd), so I need to head down quickly."

In fact, Choi immediately headed back to his team. Although he did not participate in the semifinal against Hanwha on the 22nd, his potential return to Gocheok emerged as Ulsan advanced to the finals. Both Sangmu and Ulsan are exempt from certain eligibility restrictions for the Championship Final, so there are no institutional barriers to Choi's participation.

Ulsan defeated Hanwha 2-0 in the semifinals. Starting pitcher Akita Okada (33) shut down Hanwha's lineup with seven scoreless innings, allowing five hits and striking out nine batters. Hae-hoon Ha (36) contributed two hits and two RBIs in four at-bats, accounting for all of Ulsan's runs. Sangmu also secured their spot in the finals by defeating Lotte 5-2.

The final match between the two teams represents a clash of contrasting styles. Sangmu finished the regular season with 62 wins and 34 losses, achieving a .646 win percentage to claim first place in the Northern League. Having won the Southern League title for 14 consecutive years from 2012 through last year, they moved to the Northern League this year and secured another championship, extending their record to 15 consecutive titles.

Ulsan is the opposite. Although a new team making its debut in the 2026 KBO Futures League, it recorded 58 wins, one draw, and 37 losses with a .611 win percentage, claiming the Southern League title in its inaugural season.

The teams also differ in their strengths. Sangmu boasted a team batting average of .281 and an ERA of 4.23, ranking third among all 12 teams, demonstrating balanced performance in both offense and pitching. Ulsan, however, had the lowest team batting average at .244 but led the league with an ERA of 3.81, riding a powerful pitching staff to create a surprising surge.

In regular-season head-to-head matchups, Sangmu held a 4-1 advantage. The Futures League Championship Final was introduced for the first time last year to provide players with limited opportunities to play in the first division with significant game experience and motivation. KT was the inaugural champion, and this year will see the second champion crowned.

The winning team will receive a prize of 30 million won, while the runner-up will be awarded 10 million won. Final match tickets can be reserved starting at 2 p.m. on the 23rd through NOL, and the game will be broadcast live on TVING and tvN SPORTS.

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*This content was translated by AI.