I asked Sutton… “If you are a wizard, Minseok Kim is the Yelich type or the Bellinger type?”

The player who monopolizes the love of fans at Lotte in May is Kim Min-seok (19), a rookie high school graduate. Kim Min-seok, who joined Lotte after receiving Lotte’s third overall nomination in 2023, has been steadily gaining opportunities since the opening, and in May, he is making a big success by absorbing the experience.

Kim Min-seok is making a big success with a batting average of 0.378, 1 home run, 6 RBIs, 3 stolen bases, and OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.939 in 10 May games until May 18. Among Lotte players who played more than 30 at-bats in May, OPS is second only to Noh Jin-hyeok (1.025). Considering that rookie hitters usually need more time to adapt to the first team than pitchers, Min-seok Kim’s rapid growth is surprising.

Kim Min-seok, who had a high proportion of infielders until his high school days, is now playing in the outfield as a pro. There is also an analysis that such a process itself is similar to his Whimungo senior, Lee Jeong-hu (25‧ Kiwoom). He is still not as perfect as Lee Jung-hoo, but he has several tools such as batting, running base, and defense, which raises expectations.

First of all, Kim Min-seok has excellent athletic ability. He had good qualities as an athlete before being a baseball player. He can run well, has good eyes, and the contact that comes with those eyes is good. His strength is expected to improve, and his eye for baseball is smart. It was a common assessment by scouts from 10 KBO league clubs, not just Lotte, that if he polishes well and has a good experience without injury, he is highly likely to grow into a ‘5-tool player’ in the future.

Then, in what direction will Lotte grow this treasure-like stone? The players that come to mind in the major leagues are Cody Bellinger토토사이트 (Chicago Cubs) and Christian Yelich (Milwaukee), each of whom has experience as an MVP. Both players have in common that they are ‘five-tool players’ and have excellent athletic abilities. However, the specialties are slightly different.

Bellinger is a powerful home run hitter. He’s good at defense and has a good arm, but what stands out the most when he’s good is his power. Yelich is also a hitter who can hit a home run, but compared to Bellinger, he is a better mid-to-longer type. As such, the characteristics of the two players are different, and each has a different charm. However, it was well revealed in the performance that if you make good use of that charm, you can grow into an MVP-level player. This is why Lotte fans are excited about the talent of Kim Min-seok, who can go both ways.

▲ Kim Min-seok has the potential to grow into a 5-tool player in both karate and shove ⓒLotte Giants

What direction will Kim Min-seok go? When Sutton was asked an unusual question, “If you were a wizard, would you make it a Bellinger type or a Yelich type?” Director Sutton said, “I gave a very interesting example.” . Manager Sutton acknowledged that Lotte currently lacks a typical home run hitter. If so, you may need more Bellinger types. However, if I had to argue, Kim Min-seok said that he was close to Yelich’s style.

Coach Sutton said, “Comparing the two players (Yelich and Bellinger), Min-seok Kim seems to be a style closer to Yelich.” “Min-seok Kim has the ability to make good contact. A player who hits a lot of doubles while doing it, and a player who can raise RBIs when runners are out.”

He continued, “I think he is a player who can hit 10 or 15 homers in the KBO league from a future perspective. Because he has good mobility, he will be able to score a lot of runs on base.”

It is not a Q&A that assumes that Kim Min-seok will grow into a player with the same skills as Yelich, but it is not easy to find a player with Yelich’s style in the KBO League. Basically, it is difficult to have a comprehensive set of explosive running ability, good batting average, defensive ability, and tools that can sometimes hit even one shot. There will be many glory and trials waiting for Kim Min-seok, but it is expected that Lotte and KBO league fans will be interested in watching how this player grows in the future.