The 194cm right-handed ace prospect traded for Choi Won-tae resolves military service first... Kiwoom's Kim Yeon-ju also enlists on the 12th

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Kiwoom Heroes' promising pitchers Kim Dong-gyu (22) and Kim Yeon-ju (22) are enlisting as active-duty soldiers to fulfill their military service obligations.

On the 10th, Kiwoom officially announced, "Pitchers Kim Yeon-ju and Kim Dong-gyu will enlist as active-duty soldiers," adding, "Kim Yeon-ju will report on the 12th, and Kim Dong-gyu on the 26th, to the Nonsan Army Training Center. After completing five weeks of basic military training, they will perform their national defense duties."

The name that draws the most attention is undoubtedly Kim Dong-gyu. A graduate of Seongnam High School, Kim Dong-gyu was selected in the second round (17th overall) of the 2023 rookie draft to join the LG Twins. In July 2023, his first year as a professional, Kiwoom executed a major trade by sending right-handed starter Choi Won-tae (29, currently with the Samsung Lions) to LG, and Kim Dong-gyu moved to the Heroes along with outfielder Lee Ju-hyung.

Boasting an overwhelming 194cm physique, he was highly anticipated as the "right-handed giant" who would secure the future of Kiwoom's pitching staff, but the barrier of the first division proved high. Kim Dong-gyu recorded a career record in the first division of one loss and an ERA of 14.94 in 20 games (15⅔ innings). This season, he remained at one loss and an ERA of 21.00 in five first-division games (3 innings), and in the Futures League, he posted two losses, two holds, one save, and an ERA of 9.70 in 25 games (21⅓ innings) without a win, failing to establish a clear turning point. Ultimately, he chose to enlist as an active-duty soldier before it was too late, deciding to resolve his military service obligations early.

Kim Yeon-ju, who reports on the 12th ahead of Kim Dong-gyu, is a second-year right-handed pitcher from Seongnam High School who joined the team via the third round (29th overall) of the 2024 rookie draft. He has served as a workhorse in the first division since his debut year, marking a career record of two wins, five losses, one hold, and an ERA of 7.21 in 57 games (88⅔ innings). However, this season he did not receive many opportunities, posting one loss and an ERA of 15.88 in three first-division games (5⅔ innings), before deciding to enlist after recording four wins, three losses, one hold, and an ERA of 5.40 in 20 Futures League games (35 innings).

Meanwhile, Kiwoom finished the season with a record of 50 wins, four draws, and 90 losses (winning percentage 0.357), accepting the painful result of finishing last in the league (10th place) for the fourth consecutive year. In KBO League history, finishing last for four consecutive years is only the second time since the Lotte Giants from 2001 to 2004, and it is the first time since the introduction of the 10th-team system. Having ended the season early, Kiwoom is accelerating its preparation for the next season and medium-to-long-term roster rebuilding by encouraging young prospects to resolve their military service quickly.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original