Professional baseball player Kim Min-seok (21) of Doosan Bears is practicing as a second baseman but said he is not switching positions.

On the 30th, Kim recorded 2 hits in 5 at-bats, 3 RBIs, and 1 run after starting in left field batting 6th in a game against the Kiwoom Heroes held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul during the '2025 Shinhan Bank SOL Bank KBO League.'

Ahead of that game, Kim Min-seok, who was called up from the minor leagues, hit a single in his first at-bat with one out in the second inning. Although he made two outs in his next two at-bats, with both teams tied at 4-4 and no outs with the bases loaded, he hit a three-run triple against right-handed relief pitcher Yang Ji-yul, turning the game around. Doosan, fueled by Kim Min-seok's performance, won 9-4. Kim became the hero of the decisive hit.

In a post-game interview, Kim Min-seok said, "I feel good that I was able to help the team win on the first day after being called up from the minor leagues. Since the seniors got on base with walks and hit-by-pitches, I was in a situation where I only needed to hit a fly ball to the outfield to turn the game around. I confidently turned around, thinking I just wanted to avoid striking out or hitting into a double play. The moment I saw the ball, I thought I had to run to third base no matter what, so I ran hard."

Kim Min-seok, who was drafted in the first round (3rd pick) of the 2023 rookie draft and began his professional career with Lotte, showed promise in his first year with a batting average of .255 over 129 games (400 at-bats, 102 hits), 3 home runs, 39 RBIs, 53 runs scored, and 16 stolen bases, for an OPS of .652. However, in his much-anticipated second year, he managed only a batting average of .211 over 41 games (76 at-bats, 16 hits), with 6 RBIs, 14 runs scored, and 3 stolen bases, for an OPS of .544.

Ultimately, after the 2024 season, Kim Min-seok joined Doosan as part of a trade involving Jeong Cheol-won and Jeon Min-jae in exchange for Choo Jae-hyun and Choi Woo-in. Kim, who was a key player in a massive trade, initially showed strong performances early in the season but faced ups and downs, and was demoted to the minor leagues on the 8th. He is currently recording a batting average of .228 over 22 games (57 at-bats, 13 hits), with 6 RBIs and 4 runs scored, for an OPS of .570.

Kim Min-seok expressed, "There were some mental struggles as well," adding, "I'm not going to play baseball for just 1 or 2 years. I think of it as a process of strengthening myself because I need to play for another 10 years, and I did self-image training." He noted, "The environment in the minor leagues allows for much more practice compared to the first team, so I practiced a lot. I have reflected on myself and researched how I can set my strike zone and what kind of pitches I can hit well."

Kim Min-seok is appearing as a second baseman in the Futures League and is preparing for multi-position play. Manager Lee Seung-yeop smiled and supported Kim's challenges, saying, "Kim Min-seok is doing various things. He needs to survive." Kim talked about how he started practicing as an infielder, saying, "In the minor leagues, outfielders and infielders often switch to practice. I think that's how I caught the coach's eye."

However, Kim Min-seok's primary position is still the outfield. He emphasized, "The outfield is always my main position. I am not switching positions." He mentioned, "I did play a little at first base and second base during my amateur days, but it's been a long time, so I'm not yet accustomed to it. I think I can still adapt by practicing a bit to move according to the situation."

"Even when looking at the major leagues, players who can play both infield and outfield have higher versatility and can get more game time," Kim Min-seok remarked, adding, "I am also practicing both outfield and infield." He concluded, "Still, my main position is outfield, so I want to defend well there," with a smile.

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