It’s already been 4 years since our debut. Time really flies. In fact, I haven’t done anything for 3 years.”
Kiwoom Heroes left-handed pitcher 먹튀검증 Lee Jong-min (22) looked back on his pro career and expressed his determination for the 2023 season.
Lee Jong-min joined Kiwoom with the 7th overall pick in the 2nd 1st round of the 2020 KBO League Rookie Draft. Amidst high expectations, the following year, he immediately became the winner of the Northern League in the Futures League. His rapid growth has raised expectations for the 2022 season, but the results have not. He dropped out during the spring camp due to elbow pain and never made it to the first team.
However, the 2022 season wasn’t all that dark. He was sluggish in the first half of the Futures League, but managed to rebound in the second half. At the end of the season, he made 5 consecutive wins with 25 scoreless innings, recording a final score of 9 wins, 1 loss, 1 hold, and an average ERA of 3.48 in 72⅓ innings. After the season, Hyung-wook Koh, general manager of Kiwoom, mentioned Jong-min Lee as a candidate for the starting lineup in an interview with Sporty News.
Lee Jong-min, who was recognized for his potential by the club, said, “I am grateful that the general manager mentioned my name. But it is up to me to do it. If I can’t do it, nothing will work. I think it’s important how well I do.”
The off-season Lee Jong-min ahead of the spring camp was different from the previous year. In the meantime, he has been away from his training method and visited baseball lessons to strengthen his restraint and prevent injuries.
Lee Jong-min explained, “Speed was what I needed to improve. To improve that point, I did a lot of exercises to increase my speed. Also, I focused on exercises to improve my body’s agility in order to have an injury-free season.”
“In the meantime, during the off-season, I personally worked out in Goyang (Futures) and Gocheok. This year, I wanted to try in various ways. This is the first time I’ve trained with a trainer since high school. “he added.
There was only one reason Lee Jong-min pursued a new training method, and he was eager to throw the ball in the first team. “It’s already been 4 years since my debut. Time flies. Actually, I haven’t done anything for the past 3 years. I have to play in the 1st team, but I was very sluggish, and I couldn’t play often. My biggest wish is to play in many games in the 1st team.” did.
Lastly, Lee Jong-min said, “I have good control and command. I also seem to have a definite breaking ball. My main weapon is the changeup, and opponent hitters always say ‘good’. I think the ability to manage the game is also a strong point.” I was determined to throw my own ball in the army.
Lee Jong-min has proven his potential in the Futures League and is highly anticipated by the club because of his various strengths. I am curious to see what kind of performance Lee Jong-min, the futures league champion who is desperate for a first-team stage, will show next season.