'Tears at Lotte's Surprise Selection of Gwangju Ilgo's Bae Jong-yoon, Who Broke Expectations with a Second-Round Pick' [Interview]

*This content was translated by AI.

Tears welled up when his name was called much sooner than expected, but when asked about competition in the professional league, his response was unwavering. Bae Jong-yoon (18, Gwangju Ilgo), selected by Lotte Giants as a future starting center fielder, issued a bold declaration of intent.

On the 21st, Lotte selected Bae Jong-yoon with the 14th overall pick in the second round of the 2027 KBO Rookie Draft at the World Crystal Ballroom of Lotte Hotel Seoul.

The selection came as a surprise to Bae Jong-yoon as well. Immediately after the draft, he told StarNews, "I never thought I would be picked by Lotte. My name was called suddenly, which surprised me and even brought tears."

There was a significant difference from his originally expected pick order. Bae Jong-yoon said, "Before the draft, I spoke with the manager, who told me to expect a mid-tier selection and to go in with peace of mind. But being picked so early was wonderful. It showed they have high regard for me, so I felt I must work even harder."

There was a reason Lotte did not wait another round. Securing future center fielders alongside pitchers was a key priority in this draft. Kim Pung-cheol, head of Lotte's scouting team, explained the background behind their quick selection: "What our team needs right now is a center fielder. But we cannot grow one immediately. He also has power-hitting ability and batting potential."

According to the Korea Baseball & Softball Association (KBSA), Bae Jong-yoon stands 185 cm tall and weighs 82 kg. He is a right-handed batter who bats left-handed and plays center field. Lotte evaluates him as an all-around player with a smooth swing, ability to handle breaking balls, wide defensive range, strong arm, and fast speed. His capacity to hit quality balls to all parts of the field and his baseball instincts were highly rated, leading them to see potential for growth into a starting center fielder.

He had already made a name for himself as a center fielder eligible for early selection since last year. At the time, a scout from a KBO team other than Lotte said, "Bae Jong-yoon has a fundamentally smooth swing and good ability to handle breaking balls. Considering his physical abilities, arm strength, and speed, he could improve further with professional training in the league."

Especially considering that his experience as a center fielder is relatively short, his growth potential is even greater. Bae Jong-yoon began playing baseball in fifth grade of elementary school. He played both pitcher and center fielder initially, leveraging his strong arm, but focused exclusively on center field after entering high school. Even so, he stood out from his first year.

Bae Jong-yoon was also aware of his weaknesses. When he met StarNews in June at Gwangju Ilgo High School, he identified the tendency for ground balls due to losing balance during batting and difficulties handling two-strike situations as areas for improvement. At the same time, he did not hide his goal of being selected at a high pick order in the draft. He also expressed his ambition to become a role model for other players rather than emulating someone else. Ultimately, his desired "high pick order" was realized with a second-round selection.

Now, attention turns to the professional league. When asked about competing with fellow center fielders selected in the same draft, Bae Jong-yoon's voice became even more confident. He said, "I am confident I can beat any of the center fielders selected this year." He added, "I will fight hard and work diligently so that fans remember me as a truly excellent player. To become such a player, I think I need to work even harder moving forward."

Busan Metropolitan City, where he will embark on his second baseball career, is also welcoming. Bae Jong-yoon said with a bright smile, "Lotte has many fans, and Busan is a city with great baseball popularity. I originally love the sea, so that made Lotte even better. Among cities with the sea, Busan is my favorite." He then vowed, "I will work incredibly hard to reach the first division quickly and show good performances."

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*This content was translated by AI.