It was May 20. LG manager Yeom Kyung-yeop, who had tried out Shin Min-jae as the starting second baseman, talked about the possibility of trading for a pinch-hitter. He said that if Shin Min-jae makes the leap to the starting lineup, the team will not have a pinch-hitter to come in late in games. “It’s not a big position in the team, so I think we can get it,” Yeom said at the time.
About two months later, Shin Min-jae passed his audition for the starting second base position, and the trade Yeom envisioned was finalized.
LG has agreed to a trade with NC, sending right-hander Chae Ji-seon (28) to NC and receiving outfielder Choi Seung-min (27) from NC, 13 days before the trade deadline. This season, Chae has pitched 0.2 innings in the first team, while Choi Seung-min hasn’t played in the first team. It’s not a high-profile trade, but LG added a speedy player as planned.
Choi joined NC as a developmental player in 2015 and played 116 games in the first team until last year, hitting .297 with 16 stolen bases in 78 at-bats. He was a backup, as evidenced by his plate appearances, but he thrived in the Futures League. In 501 career Futures League games and 1,670 at-bats, he batted .305 with 127 steals. In 2016, he led the Futures League in stolen bases with 35, and in 2020, he led the Futures South League in stolen bases with 26.
The modern game of baseball has made professional runners a rarity. If you look at the top 10 teams, only Doosan’s Cho has more stolen bases as a pinch-hitter. LG expanded its search to the second team and found Choi Seung-min.
After the trade was finalized, Cha Myung-seok said, “The manager knew about Choi Seung-min. His legs are said to be as fast as Shin Min-jae’s. I expect him to be a big hitter when we need a run. I think he will be used in the postseason.”먹튀검증
LG is first in this category with 86 team steals in the first half. However, their stolen base success rate is low at 61.4%. In the second half, they plan to play more cautiously to improve their chances. And Choi Seung-min could be a part of that. Choi will take over the late-game pinch-hitting role that Shin Min-jae held until the beginning of the season, looking to steal second base or score on a single hit from second base.
As for possible future trades, Cha said, “There are none. Everyone is talking about starting pitchers, but I think that’s only possible if another team makes a move. I don’t think there will be a starting pitcher trade.”
Meanwhile, Chae Ji-seon, who moved from Doosan to LG in a trade in March 2021, changed uniforms once again. NC general manager Lim Sun-nam said, “Chae Ji-seon is a pitcher with good fastball control and a variety of pitches. We have strengthened the depth of our pitching staff by signing her, and we expect her to be a valuable addition to our bullpen.”