Professional baseball player Son Yong-jun (25) of the LG Twins will have his debut against a pitcher with 171 wins.

LG made changes to its first-team roster before the game against SSG Landers at Jamsil Stadium on the 2nd. Infielder Lee Young-bin was sent down to the second team, and second-year infielder Son Yong-jun was called up to the first team. Son Yong-jun was a regular player in his first year after being drafted in 2024, but he was converted to a developmental player before this season. He registered as a regular player on the 2nd and moved up to the first team. It is his first registration in the first team for his debut.

Son Yong-jun, who graduated from Gimhae High School and Dongwon University of Science and Technology, was selected by LG in the third round with the 28th pick in the 2024 rookie draft. In his debut year, he recorded a batting average of .290 (56 hits in 193 at-bats), 1 home run, 23 RBIs, 33 runs, 8 steals, 20 walks, and 29 strikeouts in 94 games in the Futures League.

Son Yong-jun has a batting average of .370 (30 hits in 81 at-bats), 2 home runs, 14 RBIs, 24 runs, 11 steals, 12 walks, 6 hit-by-pitches, and 14 strikeouts in 25 games in the Futures League this year. In the last 10 games, he has an impressive batting average of .460 (13 hits in 32 at-bats) with 8 RBIs, along with 4 doubles and 1 triple. He also recorded 4 steals.

Manager Yeom Kyung-yup noted, "He has been hitting the best in the second team lately, so I called him up. It seems he should go out when the defense is weak. Tomorrow (the 3rd), I plan to give him a chance as a designated hitter. It seems that he is not ready for defense yet."

Son Yong-jun is expected to debut as a designated hitter against SSG’s left-handed starter Kim Kwang-hyun on the 3rd. Manager Yeom anticipated, "When things aren’t going well, you need to try a new card once in a while for a change in momentum."

The LG lineup has collectively fallen into a slump. They are facing a recent risk of a four-game losing streak. Austin is performing at his expected level. Manager Yeom said, "I am trying to find the cause, but I cannot find it. We gave them a break. There was nothing overworked. I don't know why they suddenly are not performing. That's why baseball is difficult."

Manager Yeom stated, "There's a flow, and baseball always changes when the month changes. We have done well in May. In the first year, we had +10 in May, and last year we had +7," expressing hopes for a successful May this season as well.

Meanwhile, in order to escape from a four-game losing streak, LG will present a starting lineup of Hong Chang-ki (right fielder), Moon Sung-joo (left fielder), Austin (first baseman), Moon Bo-kyung (third baseman), Kim Hyun-soo (designated hitter), Oh Ji-hwan (shortstop), Park Dong-won (catcher), Park Hae-min (center fielder), and Shin Min-jae (second baseman) on this day.

[OSEN]