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| Shin Jae-in / Photo: DB |
The KBO announced the rosters for the 2026 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League opener on the 27th.
The headline names are the newcomers debuting this season. A total of 13 rookies made opening-day rosters: Choi Yu-bin and Oh Jae-won (both Hanwha); Jang Chan-hee (Samsung); Shin Jae-in, Heo Yoon, and Go Jun-hwi (all NC); Park Ji-hun and Lee Kang-min (both KT); Park Jeong-min, Lee Jun-seo, and Lee Seo-jun (all Lotte); and Park Han-gyeol and Choi Jae-young (both Kiwoom).
NC and Lotte each put three rookies on their opening rosters; Hanwha, KT, and Kiwoom added two apiece; and Samsung included one.
By contrast, KIA, LG, Doosan, and SSG opened the season with no rookies on their rosters. Park Jun-hyun (Kiwoom), the No. 1 overall pick, did not make the opening roster.
Recent acquisitions preparing to start the year with new teams — including Choi Hyung-woo (Samsung), Kim Hyun-soo (KT), Kang Baek-ho (Hanwha), and Park Chan-ho (Doosan) — were also named to opening rosters. Choi, who returned to his former club, would set a new KBO record for career games played by a position player if he takes the field.
Son Ah-seop, who signed a one-year, 100,000,000 KRW (about 75,000 USD) contract with Hanwha and battled for a roster spot, also made the opening roster (about 75,000 USD).
[Sports Today reporter Lee Sang-pil sports@stoo.com]
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