The LG Twins' most watched player for the 2026 season is power-hitting prospect Lee Jae-won. Lee Jae-won returns after completing his military service with Sangmu.
LG let veteran Kim Hyun-soo leave. Kim Hyun-soo, who won the Korean Series MVP, regained free agent status and signed a three-year, 5 billion won contract with KT Wiz (3 billion won signing bonus, 2 billion won annual salary). Youm Kyoung-youb said he will give Lee Jae-won the opportunity as the top choice in the outfield spot vacated by Kim Hyun-soo.
Lee Jae-won, who was selected by LG in the 2018 rookie draft, second round of the second phase, 17th overall, played in the first team through the 2023 season and enlisted in Sangmu in June 2024.
In 2024 with Sangmu, Lee Jae-won recorded a .292 batting average in 50 games (168 at-bats, 49 hits), 14 home runs, 42 RBIs, 35 runs, a .413 on-base percentage, a .619 slugging percentage and a 1.032 OPS. In 2025 he played 78 games in the Futures League, hitting .329 (277 at-bats, 91 hits) with 26 home runs, 91 RBIs, 81 runs, a .457 on-base percentage, a .643 slugging percentage and a 1.100 OPS before discharge. He averaged one home run every 13.5 plate appearances. He showed power and also improved his hitting accuracy.
His power was recognized even before military enlistment. His home run distances were exceptional. However, his ability to handle breaking balls and his contact ability were lacking. He stepped up by getting many plate appearances with Sangmu.
However, his walk-to-strikeout ratio and strikeout rate are disappointing. In 2024 Lee Jae-won had 34 walks and 50 strikeouts in 206 plate appearances, a 24.3% strikeout rate. In 2025 he had 58 walks and 108 strikeouts in 352 plate appearances. Although his home runs increased, his strikeout rate surged to 30.7%. He took many strikeouts against the Futures League pitchers' breaking balls.
Through the 2023 season in the first team, Lee Jae-won had a career batting average of .222, 22 home runs in 575 plate appearances, 46 walks and 176 strikeouts. His career first-team strikeout rate was 30.6%. He averaged one home run every 26 plate appearances.
His career first-team strikeout rate and last year's Futures League strikeout rate are nearly the same. Both exceed 30%. His home runs per plate appearance in the first team career record are half of last year's Futures League record.
Youm Kyoung-youb said he will place Lee Jae-won in the eighth spot in the batting order. He asked for confident swings in the lower order without feeling pressured. He must not fear strikeouts and must attack first-team pitchers' offerings. He needs the mentality and mindset that even if he takes three strikeouts, hitting one home run is enough. How he overcomes the strikeout-rate weakness will be the key to success on the first-team stage he returns to after three years.
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