Is it an unbearable sense of stability?
KIA Tigers rookie pitcher Lee Ho-min (19) is showcasing his composure in the first team. On the 2nd, he stepped up as the third pitcher in the game against the SSG Landers in Gwangju and did his part. Third-year pitcher Lee Dohyun, who made his debut appearance, couldn't overcome the pressure, collapsing with 4 hits, 5 walks, and 4 earned runs over 3 innings. Second-year pitcher Kim Min-joo, who followed him starting from the 4th inning, also allowed 3 hits, 2 walks, and 3 earned runs, leading to a score gap of 7-1.
It was practically equivalent to handing over the winning momentum, and the next pitcher was rookie Lee Ho-min. As soon as he took the mound in the 5th inning, he struggled early on. He allowed a double to left-center to lead-off hitter Jo Hyung-woo. After one out, he gave up an RBI single to Choi Ji-hoon, leading to a run. It was a poorly struck hit that caught the end of the bat on a changeup. The score gap widened to 8-2.
However, right after this earned run, he pitched with renewed determination. He threw a fastball on the first pitch to induce a double play against Eredia and ended the inning. In the 6th, he caught Choi Jeong as a fly out to left field, and although he allowed a hit to Choi Jun-woo, he induced a ground ball from Ko Myung-jun and a fly out to left field from Park Seong-han. In the 7th inning, he also allowed just one walk and quickly recorded 3 outs.
With Lee Ho-min holding his ground, the batting lineup began to move. In the bottom of the 6th against Kim Gwang-hyun, Wisdom and Kim Seok-hwan both got hits, and with a ground out from Ko Jong-wook, they scored one run, while Han Jun-soo launched a double to right-center, narrowing the gap to 5-8. It was thanks to Lee Ho-min that the momentum shifted at this point.
Seong Young-tak, who causes miracles in the 10th round, followed suit and perfectly retired 4 batters to prevent additional runs. Thanks to this, KIA created a one-out, bases-loaded chance against SSG closer Jo Byeong-hyeon during their last attack in the bottom of the 9th, seizing an opportunity to tie the game. Although they failed to capitalize on the subsequent at-bat, it was an opportunity made possible by the pitching of Lee Ho-min and Seong Young-tak.
Lee Ho-min is a promising prospect who was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2025 rookie draft. He led the mound together with Jeong Woo-joo (Hanwha) during his time at Jeonju High School, following stints at Haenam Elementary School and Ipyung Middle School, achieving a national championship. Scout reports noted his outstanding mound management skills and labeled him as ready for games. His fastball velocity is in the low 140 km range, but he boasts precise control, a significant drop on his changeup, and the ability to throw sliders and curves.
He welcomed the opening while with the Futures team and consistently made starts, earning recognition as the ace of the Futures team. Thus, he showcased his stability. Finally, he received a call-up to the first team on June 15. He made a clean debut with a scoreless inning in the game against KT in Gwangju on the 17th and also secured his first win (hold) by recording 2 outs in the game against SSG in Incheon on the 22nd.
As of that day, he has recorded 8⅓ innings with 6 hits, 5 walks, 3 strikeouts, and 2 earned runs over 7 games, with an earned run average of 2.16. Though speeding up remains a task, he is proving himself to be a game-ready pitcher. He is rapidly emerging as a valuable multi-inning asset, injecting vitality into the fatigued bullpen. The likelihood of Lee Ho-min's usage is also increasingly opening up.
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