As Kim Hye-seong advances to the United States, Shin Min-jae of the professional baseball LG Twins is emerging as a strong candidate for the KBO League defensive award for second basemen.

Shin Min-jae started as the second baseman on the 9th against Kiwoom at the Seoul Gocheok Sky Dome, producing several remarkable highlight plays in defense. LG was powerless in a 0-4 loss, striking out 13 times against Kiwoom’s starting pitcher Rosenberg, but Shin Min-jae's defense stood out.

In the bottom of the 3rd inning, Shin Min-jae sprinted toward a hard-hit ball from Choi Joo-hwan toward second base, executed a bent-leg slide and grabbed it with a backhand. He then quickly got up and threw to first base, getting the out. The scene of him catching the ball with a slide and bouncing up like a spring was fantastic. The bent-leg slide backhand catch is the signature play of shortstop Oh Ji-hwan, and since last year, Shin Min-jae has also had many instances of making these catches on balls hit toward second base.

In the 8th inning, Kiwoom's leadoff hitter Lee Ju-hyung attempted an unexpected bunt down the first base line on the first pitch from newly changed pitcher Lee Woo-chan. First baseman Kim Hyun-soo rushed out but failed to field the ball, allowing it to roll past him. However, second baseman Shin Min-jae appeared from behind, caught it with his glove, and touched first base while sliding. The first base umpire initially called him safe, but LG requested a video review, leading to the call being overturned to out. Shin Min-jae's sense in catching the ball and touching the base was impressive.

Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop noted Shin Min-jae's defense is "growing increasingly confident and relaxed. It's a sign of growth. Having been selected as a national team second baseman is immense. Last year, he was recognized by being selected for the national team. The player experiences tremendous mental growth. His potential is being unleashed. His defense and hitting can develop even further now."

He continued, "The starts have improved. Coach Kim Il-gyeong, who is in charge of infield and outfield defense, and Coach Song Ji-man emphasize that the first thing is the start. They emphasize predicting and moving with each pitch, regardless of whether the batter hits or not. It greatly expands the defensive range by moving with every pitch rather than waiting to catch the ball after the start in the finishing camp and spring camp."

Since 2023, the KBO has established a defensive award to recognize the best players in the league based solely on defensive ability. Kim Hye-seong won the KBO defensive award for the second baseman category for two consecutive years in 2023 and 2024. Last year, Shin Min-jae placed second behind Kim Hye-seong.

Last year, Shin Min-jae's defensive record score was 19.64, higher than Kim Hye-seong's 16.07. However, in the voting scores, Kim Hye-seong scored a total of 91.07, while Shin Min-jae obtained a total of 83.93, finishing second. With Kim Hye-seong heading to the United States, Shin Min-jae could be a contender for the defensive award this year.

Shin Min-jae, who joined Doosan as a training player in 2015, was transferred to LG during the second draft held in November 2017. After completing military service, he made his first-team debut in 2019 and primarily appeared as a pinch runner or defensive replacement due to his speed.

Before the 2023 season, manager Yeom Kyung-yeop included Shin Min-jae in the opening roster as a designated pinch runner. While appearing as a pinch runner and receiving defensive opportunities, he showed good performance in both hitting and defense, eventually becoming the starting second baseman. He took over the second base position from the middle of the 2023 season, solving LG's chronic concerns at second base.

Last year, he played full-time as a second baseman, recording a batting average of .297 (115 hits in 387 at-bats), 40 RBIs, 32 stolen bases, and an OPS of .758 over 128 games. This season, Shin Min-jae is batting .300 (12 hits in 39 at-bats) with 4 stolen bases. He has also performed well in the role of the second batter given the situation with Moon Seong-joo missing due to minor injuries.

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