The Korea Professional Baseball Lotte Giants discovered numerous young and bright giants through their spring camps in Taiwan and Japan.
The Lotte Giants, led by manager Kim Tae-hyung, lost 5-7 against the Doosan Bears in the final match of the Guchun Tournament held at the Miyazaki Sandy Marine Stadium in Japan on the 2nd.
After losing to Doosan, Lotte finished the Guchun Tournament with a record of 1 win and 3 losses. Lotte secured a victory against the SoftBank Hawks on Feb. 26 and then lost consecutively to the Orix Buffaloes on Feb. 27, the Chiba Lotte Marines on Mar. 1, and the Doosan Bears on the 2nd.
Lotte's starting pitcher Na Kyun-an struggled with 2 innings, allowing 4 hits, 1 strikeout, 3 walks, and 3 runs (2 earned), while Kim Jin-wook (1 inning, no runs), Kim Tae-hyun (1 inning, 1 run), Han Hyun-hee (⅔ inning, 1 run), Park Jun-woo (⅓ inning, no runs), Kim Sang-soo (1 inning, no runs), Koo Seung-min (1 inning, no runs), and Jeong Cheol-won (1 inning, 2 runs) checked their skills. The losing pitcher was Jeong Cheol-won, who surrendered the winning hit to Jeong Soo-bin.
Yoon Dong-hee demonstrated his capability in the cleanup trio with 3 hits, including a home run and a double. Na Seung-yeop showed off his hitting prowess with a solo home run, and Jeon Jun-woo displayed his strong batting with multiple hits, while Jeong Hoon highlighted his veteran quality with a 2-RBI hit.
With the conclusion of the Doosan game on this day, Lotte wrapped up all their practice games for the 2025 spring camp. After taking a break on the 3rd, they plan to conduct final training on the 4th before returning home on the 5th.
According to Lotte officials, the MVPs of the 2025 spring camp were outfielder Son Ho-young, first baseman Jang Du-seong, and pitchers Park Jin and Jeong Hyun-soo.
Son Ho-young, who moved from LG to Lotte through a trade last March, showcased significantly improved skills in his first spring camp with Lotte, and Jang Du-seong, a specialist in pinch running and defense, also received praise for his growth in both offense and defense.
Jang Du-seong said, “Thanks to coaches Jo Won-woo and Yoo Jae-shin, my defensive throwing balance has improved a lot. For my hitting, coaches Lim Hoon, Lee Seong-gon, and Lee Byung-kyu helped me address many weaknesses. I will keep this momentum through the season and prepare well to show a good performance.”
On the mound, the advancement of the young players stood out. Among them, Park Jin, a candidate for the 5th starting position, and left-handed pitcher Jeong Hyun-soo, who came from the 'Choi Kang Baseball' entertainment program, made a strong impression on manager Kim Tae-hyung.
Park Jin stated, “During the camp, training with coaches Joo Hyung-kwang and Lee Jae-yul significantly helped me with balance and pitching mechanics. Senior pitchers also provided a lot of encouragement, which also helped in my preparation.” He added, “I will work hard for the remaining period to maintain this momentum through the season and show a good performance.”
Lotte will begin its first practice game against the KIA Tigers at home on the 8th after returning on the 5th.
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