[Official] The Last Unicorn Finally Hangs Up His Cleats! 'US Challenge → LG 4th Round' 25-Year-Old Right-Hander Also Released... 'Eliminated in Preliminary Playoffs' LG Cleans Up Roster of 11 Players, Including Jang Si-hwan

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Just nine months ago, the "Last Unicorn," Jang Si-hwan (39), had shown his will to extend his active career. He will ultimately hang up his uniform. The LG Twins, who were eliminated in the Preliminary Playoffs, have parted ways with 11 players, including veterans, and have begun preparations for the 2027 season.

On the 22nd, LG announced that it would not re-sign 11 players as part of its roster cleanup: pitchers Jang Si-hwan, Im Jeong-gyun (22), Ha Hyun-gyu (25), Kim Ju-on (30), Jin Woo-young (25), Kim Ji-yong (24), Oh Seung-yoon (25); catchers Kim Jun-tae (32) and Kim Min-su (35); and infielders Song Dae-hyeon (26) and Kim Jeong-yul (28). Among them, Jang Si-hwan and Song Dae-hyeon have decided to retire from active duty.

The most notable name is Jang Si-hwan. After graduating from Bukil High School, Jang was drafted by the Hyundai Unicorns in the second round, first pick of the 2007 KBO Rookie Draft. He subsequently played for the Heroes, KT Wiz, Lotte Giants, and Hanwha Eagles before joining LG last December.

With Hwang Jae-gyun and Jung Hoon ending their active careers, Jang became the last player among those drafted by Hyundai to remain in the KBO League. After being released by Hanwha, he considered retirement but reignited his will to continue playing when LG extended an offer. In January this year, Jang also expressed his intent, stating that as "the last legacy of Hyundai," he felt a sense of responsibility and wanted to play for another two to three years.

However, he could not create a turnaround with LG. He did not appear on the first division mound even once this year and ultimately chose retirement. His career KBO League record stands at 416 games, 787 innings pitched, 29 wins, 74 losses, 34 saves, 35 holds, and an ERA of 5.31.

Another notable name is Jin Woo-young. His starting point differed from that of typical KBO players. After graduating from Global Advanced School, Jin immediately moved to the United States and signed with the Major League Baseball (MLB) Kansas City Royals.

Jin showed potential by recording a 6-2 record with a 2.35 ERA in 14 games in the Rookie League in 2019, but he faced the misfortune of the minor league season being entirely canceled due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in 2020. He played in the Rookie League again in 2021 but was released that September.

After returning to Korea and completing his military service, Jin went through the independent baseball team Paju Challengers before knocking on the door of professional baseball again. LG selected him with the 38th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2024 KBO Rookie Draft. He was evaluated as an immediate-impact bullpen option at the time and made his first division debut in his rookie year.

In six games in 2024, he pitched 7⅔ innings with a 4.70 ERA. However, that was his last first division record. He failed to secure another opportunity over the following two seasons. This year in the Futures League, he recorded 30 games, 38 innings, 2 wins, 1 loss, 4 holds, and an ERA of 5.92.

Veteran catcher Kim Jun-tae is also leaving LG. Kim entered the professional ranks as a Lotte development player in 2012. After playing for Lotte, Sangmu, and KT, he joined LG last June in a two-for-one trade involving Cheon Seong-ho and Im Jun-hyung. At the time, LG highly evaluated his utility as a left-handed pinch hitter, his plate discipline, and his fast bat speed, expecting him to strengthen the depth of their catching corps. He recorded a .230 batting average, 18 home runs, and 136 RBIs in 520 career first division games, but he did not appear in the first division this year and limited himself to five appearances in the Futures League.

Catcher Kim Min-su, who was signed by LG along with Jang Si-hwan at the end of last year, is also parting ways after just one season. Kim joined Hanwha as the 24th pick in the second round of the 2014 draft and subsequently played for the Samsung Lions. Before joining LG, he recorded a .198 batting average, 49 hits, and 27 RBIs in 160 career first division games. This year, he left a mark with a .283 batting average (15 hits in 53 at-bats), 1 home run, and 9 RBIs in 30 Futures League games.

Many young pitchers are also leaving the team. Im Jeong-gyun, selected by LG in the fifth round with the 50th pick in 2023, is parting ways without any appearance records in either the first division or the Futures League according to official KBO statistics. Ha Hyun-gyu, selected as the 53rd pick in the sixth round of the second draft in 2020, recorded a career total of 43 games and 46 innings in the Futures League with 2 wins, 2 losses, 2 saves, 4 holds, and an ERA of 9.20.

Kim Ju-on, who entered the professional ranks as the 72nd pick in the seventh round of the second draft by Samsung in 2015 and attempted a comeback with LG after playing for SK-SSG, left behind a career Futures League record of 160 games, 289⅔ innings, 15 wins, 19 losses, 14 saves, 8 holds, and an ERA of 5.72. Left-hander Kim Ji-yong, who joined LG as the 57th pick in the sixth round of the second draft in 2021, played a career total of five games in the Futures League without making his first division debut. Left-hander Oh Seung-yoon, who joined as a development player in 2024, is also leaving the team with no first division record and a career Futures League total of 41 games, 43⅔ innings, 2 wins, 2 losses, 4 holds, and an ERA of 6.80.

Infielder Song Dae-hyeon joined LG as the 77th overall pick in the eighth round in 2023. His only first division appearances were four games in 2024. After recording a career Futures League record of 130 games, a .159 batting average, 1 home run, and 20 RBIs, he decided to retire. Kim Jeong-yul, who joined Lotte as the 13th overall pick in the second round of the second draft in 2017, is a player with a history of converting from pitcher to position player. In the first division, he appeared in one game as a pitcher and 220 games as a position player in his career. In the Futures League, he recorded 457 games, a .282 batting average, 50 home runs, and 245 RBIs.

LG lost 1-13 to the KIA Tigers in Game 3 of the Preliminary Playoffs on the 20th, ending their postseason run with three consecutive losses. Just two days after the season ended, LG decided to part ways with 11 players and immediately began restructuring its roster for the 2027 season.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original