LG's bid for back-to-back Korean Series titles derailed; club sends three more prospects to Japan: Lee Ju-hun, Son Yong-jun and Lee Young-bin to join Chunichi camp

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

The LG Twins, whose quest for a second consecutive Korean Series title ended in the playoff round, are accelerating preparations for the 2027 season. Following a fall training camp with heavy participation from key players and the dispatch of promising pitchers to Japanese sports science facilities, three young position players will now train alongside the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) Chunichi Dragons roster.

On the 1st, LG announced, "Catcher Lee Ju-hun (23), infielder Son Yong-jun (26) and Lee Young-bin (24) will participate in the 2026 Chunichi Dragons fall camp alongside coach Jung Joo-hyun (36)."

The players will train with the Chunichi squad in Nagoya, Japan, from the 1st to the 17th. This marks the third consecutive year that LG has sent players to the Chunichi fall camp, having done so since 2024.

This dispatch is not unrelated to LG's disappointing 2026 season. After winning their fourth Korean Series championship in franchise history last year, LG aimed for their first back-to-back title this year. However, they finished fourth in the regular season with a record of 78 wins, one draw and 65 losses (a .545 winning percentage).

Although they defeated the Doosan Bears in the Wild Card round, they suffered a three-game sweep by the KIA Tigers in the playoff series. In particular, they were soundly beaten 1-13 in Game 3 of the playoffs held at Jamsil on October 20. The team managed only five runs across the three games of the series, leaving much to be desired in terms of offensive power.

In response, LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop (58) stated after the season ended that he would focus on supplementing weaknesses starting with fall training. The club moved swiftly. Since the 23rd of last month, LG has dispatched four pitchers—Kim Yun-sik (26), Cho Won-tae (23), Lee Sang-young (26) and Yang Woo-jin (19)—to Next Base Athletics Lab in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. This is their first attempt to improve pitching mechanics and ball velocity while learning data-based training methods.

Since the 25th of last month, the team has begun its fall camp at the Icheon LG Champions Park. The camp, which runs until November 22, features a total of 44 participants, including first division mainstays such as Moon Bo-kyung (26), Shin Min-jae (30), Son Ju-young (28) and Go Woo-seok (28). Combined with the Chunichi fall camp, LG is pushing to strengthen its roster on both the pitching and position player sides.

Among the three players, Son Yong-jun draws the most attention. A graduate of Gimhae High School and Dongwon University of Science and Technology, Son was drafted by LG in the third round (28th overall) of the 2024 KBO Rookie Draft. He made his first division debut last year, appearing in nine games, and showed promise in the Futures League with a .338 batting average and an OPS of .851 in 81 games.

He also proved his hitting talent in the Futures League this year. In particular, he recorded a .453 batting average, 24 hits, a .491 on-base percentage and five stolen bases in June alone, earning him the KBO Futures League Monthly Rookie Award for position players. He continued his upward trend by winning the Monthly Rookie Award again in July. However, he has yet to fully demonstrate competitiveness in the first division. In 12 regular season games this year, he batted .200 (two hits in 10 at-bats) with one run batted in.

The Chunichi camp is Son's second time. After training in Japan last year alongside Moon Jung-bin (23), he shared his impressions, stating, "I received a lot of help from the coaching staff's individual guidance and technical training. In hitting, I learned how to put power into the ball." This time, the challenge is to translate that experience into actual first division performance.

Catcher Lee Ju-hun also has experience with Japanese camps. A product of Seongnam High School, Lee was drafted by LG in the third round (27th overall) of the 2022 Rookie Draft. He participated in the Chunichi fall camp in 2024 and recorded a .219 batting average, four home runs and nine RBIs in 76 first division games last year.

This year, he posted a .212 batting average (31 hits in 146 at-bats), four home runs and 19 RBIs in 76 first division games. He received opportunities, including starting as catcher for three consecutive games in August, but left the task of further growth in his hitting. In this year's exhibition games, he showed potential with a .400 batting average, noting that he adjusted his hitting timing and contact point based on advice from manager Yeom Kyung-yeop and hitting coach Mo Chang-min.

Lee Young-bin is the prospect with the highest draft pick among the three players. A graduate of Seonggwang High School, Lee was drafted by LG in the first round (7th overall) of the 2021 Rookie Draft. He subsequently completed his military service at the Sangmu team and experienced a Korean Series championship last year.

However, in this year's regular season, he managed only a .200 batting average (18 hits in 90 at-bats), one home run and nine RBIs in 70 games. Although he is a left-handed hitter capable of playing multiple infield positions, he needs to improve his offensive output to secure a starting role.

The reason LG is sending the three players to Japan is clear. While they have either accumulated first division experience or shown potential in the Futures League, they share the common trait of not yet securing a starting position.

LG began dispatching players to the Chunichi camp with Lee Ji-gang, Seong Dong-hyun, Hwang Yong-ju and Lee Ju-hun in 2024, followed by Moon Jung-bin and Son Yong-jun last year. By continuing exchanges with Japanese clubs for three consecutive years through this season, LG is providing prospects with the opportunity to experience a new training environment. Coach Jung Joo-hyun, along with Lee Ju-hun, Son Yong-jun and Lee Young-bin, are scheduled to return home after training with the Chunichi squad until the 17th.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original