“My dream is to make (Shin) Minjae win the Golden Globe….”
A man who is making miracles. LG Twins’ Shin Min-jae is having his best season since his professional debut. Shin started as a Doosan Bears developmental player in 2015 and moved to LG in 2019 to become their first registered player. Since then, he has played mostly as a pinch-hitter, but this year, he has become an unexpected second baseman.
His main position is outfield, but the LG had a big hole at second base, and Shin seized the opportunity. Since June, he has turned his season around, no longer a pinch-hitter, but a punchy infielder.
In 82 games this season, Shin is batting 3-for-33 with 49 RBI in 147 at-bats, and he leads the league in stolen bases with 27. The competition is tight with Jung Soo-bin (Doosan) and Kim Hye-sung (Kiwoom), but Shin is one step ahead.
After adding two stolen bases against Kiwoom in Jamsil on the 13th, Shin Min-jae is one stolen base ahead of Jeong Soo-bin. Jung also added two on the day, but the first and second place positions remained unchanged.
The second base defense is also becoming more and more stable. Coach Yeom Kyung-yup said, “We still need to work on the basics, and we’re still working on our defense. But I’m looking forward to next year more than this year, and I think I’ll grow into a player who can continue to improve. The coaches gave him a lot of trouble, but he is adapting well in a short time,” he praised.
At the same time, he also revealed his ambitions for Shin Min-jae as a coach. “My dream is to make Min-jae win the Golden Glove, and I think she can win the Golden Glove if she becomes the stolen base champion and hits three home runs,” Yoon said.
Currently, the main competitors for second base for each club are Choi Joo-hwan (SSG), Kim Hye-sung (Kiwoom), Ahn Chi-hong (Lotte), Park Min-woo (NC), Park Kyung-soo (KT), and Kim Sun-bin (KIA). Last year’s Golden Glove winner at second base, Kim Hye-sung, has been performing well this year, but she’s not at a dominant pace, so she could still have a shot. Of course, the award is voted on by media members, so it’s all about who makes the most impact by the end of the season. 스포츠토토
Rather than just winning the award, Shin Min-jae’s growth itself could be nourishing for LG. “Once he grows like this, the team will have a tremendous resource in the center line. In order for the team’s batting order to be strong, the four center fielders must be strong,” he said, praising Shin’s progress.