The only rookie player included in the opening roster of the professional baseball team Samsung Lions is pitcher Baechanseung (19). The 'rookie trio' of Shin Jae-hoon (19), Cha Seung-jun (19), and Ham Soo-ho (19), who have attracted attention from spring camp to exhibition games, will begin the season with the Futures Team.
Manager Park Jin-man stated in an interview after the final exhibition game against Hanwha on the 18th was canceled due to heavy snowfall that regarding the opening roster, "The rookie is entering (Baechanseung). The other three rookie position players showed good performances, but if they stay in the first team, there will be a lack of opportunities to play in real matches. I intend to ensure they can continue to grow through games in the second team."
Samsung chose left-handed pitcher Baechanseung, who was the overall 3rd pick in the 1st round of the 2025 KBO rookie draft held last September, and used all the selections in rounds 2-4 for position players. In the 2nd round, they selected infielder Shin Jae-hoon from Yooshin High School as the 13th pick, infielder Cha Seung-jun from Yongma High School as the overall 23rd pick in the 3rd round, and outfielder Ham Soo-ho from Daegu Sangwon High School as the overall 33rd pick in the 4th round.
Shin Jae-hoon, who is well-rounded in both offense and defense, and lefty Cha Seung-jun and Ham Soo-ho, who showcased their power by ranking 1st and 2nd in home runs last year, were consecutively acquired. All three players participated in the first team spring camp and steadily received playing opportunities through the exhibition matches.
Cha Seung-jun, who bats left-handed and closely resembles KIA's Choi Hyung-woo in appearance and batting style, showed quick adaptability with a batting average of .375 (6 hits in 16 at-bats), 1 RBI, 2 walks, and an OPS of .819 over 9 games, while Shin Jae-hoon (.154) and Ham Soo-ho (.111) also made an impact by hitting home runs against Kim Jin-sung (LG) and Kwak Bin (Doosan), respectively, despite batting averages in the .100s.
Manager Park Jin-man evaluated the three rookie position players, saying, "From the camp, they showed skills that could surprise existing players and make them feel a sense of crisis. If these players grow significantly in the future, they will undoubtedly be a great asset to the team."
He continued, "As the season goes on, various variables will arise. In such cases, we have confirmed their abilities to come up to the first team and play," adding, "These players need to be helpful to the team as starters, not just backups. We intend to keep them prepared by letting them play consistently in the long term."
Samsung, considered one of the candidates for this season's championship, needs to deliver results. It is not a situation where a rookie position player can be guaranteed a spot on the roster. If they make the first team roster right now, they will only get opportunities to play as substitutes in the middle and late innings or occasionally as starters.
It has been concluded that consistently starting games with the Futures Team, batting 4-5 times, and playing full defense will be beneficial not only for the individual players but also for the future of the team. If a starting player from the first team is injured or underperforming, the trio of 19-year-old rookies is expected to be called up.
Meanwhile, Samsung finished the exhibition games with a record of 3 wins and 6 losses, tying for 8th place with Lotte (2 wins, 4 losses, 2 draws). Since it was just an exhibition, the ranking does not hold much significance. Manager Park noted, "We have had several injuries during the camp, and I was most worried about injuries in the exhibition games. Luckily, we finished without any injuries," adding, "It is also positive that we have scenarios for injured players to return sooner than expected."
It is most reassuring that starting pitchers Won Tae-in and Denny Reyes are expected to join the rotation as long as they skip only the first week of the opening. Power-hitting third baseman Kim Young-woo has also returned to the first team through the exhibition game against Hanwha on the 17th, and he is expected to play in the opening game against Kiwoom in Daegu on the 22nd without any issues.
The 28-man opening roster is almost finalized. Manager Park remarked, "The pitching side of the roster is sorted out, but we need to have a bit more discussion on the position players," adding, "Only 2 starting pitchers will be included in the first two games of the opening series. For the remaining 3 starting positions, I am considering using 1 reliever and 2 position players. (Gu Ja-wook, who has recovered from a knee injury) is fine physically, but he needs to be careful with his movements depending on the weather, so 6 outfielders will be included in the roster."
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