Why did the Doosan Bears, a professional baseball team, draft an infielder in the first round for the first time in 16 years? The reason was proven from the first evaluation match of the spring camp.
Doosan's super rookie Park Jun-soon (19) came off the bench as a defensive replacement in the sixth inning while trailing 0-3.
It started with a strong defensive play. In the top of the seventh inning, trailing 0-5 with two outs and runners on first and third base, pitcher Kim Myung-shin induced a ground ball from the eighth batter Miyamura. Park Jun-soon calmly fielded the ball, stepped on second base, and made an accurate throw to first base to complete the double play. It was a moment that created a highlight of the evaluation match with a bold choice.
At the plate, he demonstrated an uncommon eye for a 19-year-old. In the bottom of the eighth, with no outs and a runner on first while trailing 0-5, he calmly drew a walk, setting up a chance for the team with the bases loaded and supporting the team’s first run.
Although the team suffered a complete defeat with a score of 1-8, Doosan fans were thrilled by the rookie's unmatched performance for a first-round pick.
Doosan selected infielder Park Jun-soon in the first round of the 2025 KBO rookie draft, marking the first time in 16 years that an infielder was picked in the first round since Heo Kyung-min, who was chosen seventh overall in the second round of 2009. Including first overall picks, it was the first time in five years that an infielder was selected first since Ahn Jae-seok in 2021.
Park Jun-soon, dubbed the top prospect among position players in the 2025 rookie draft, excelled at Deoksoo High School with a career batting average of .425 in 73 games, notching 99 hits, five home runs, an on-base percentage of .525, a slugging percentage of .588, and an OPS of 1.113. He also showcased solid fundamentals and a wide range on defense, attracting the attention of multiple scouts.
On the strength of this performance, Park Jun-soon signed a contract with Doosan for a signing bonus of 260 million won last October.
Park Jun-soon suffered an elbow injury during the offseason and was unable to train defensively. Fortunately, he recovered at the beginning of the first spring camp in Sydney, Australia, preparing for the 2025 season with experienced players, and successfully made the roster for the second spring camp in Miyazaki, Japan.
Park Jun-soon is in fierce competition for the starting second base position alongside Oh Myung-jin and Yeo Dong-gun. Both Oh Myung-jin and Yeo Dong-gun showed improvements in hitting and defense through the first camp, but Park Jun-soon impressed Coach Lee Seung-yup and Defensive Coach Kim Dong-han with his defensive plays in the first evaluation match.