Twenty first-time picks headline KBO All-Star reserves 

The KBO named 26 reserves for the July 11 All-Star Game at Jamsil, with 20 first-time selections and Ryu Hyun-jin returning for his ninth appearance.

Published
Fans cheer during a preseason game between the Doosan Bears and the KIA Tigers at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa District, southern Seoul, on March 22.

The list of Korean baseball All-Star reserves announced Monday featured 20 first-time selections.

The KBO unveiled 26 reserves for the annual All-Star Game, set for July 11 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa District, southern Seoul.

Representatives from the league's 10 teams will be split into two sides. Players from the Doosan Bears, Samsung Lions, Lotte Giants, KT Wiz and SSG Landers will play for Team Dream. Those for the LG Twins, the Kia Tigers, the Hanwha Eagles, the Kiwoom Heroes and the NC Dinos will take the field for Team Nanum.

Twins skipper Youm Kyoung-youb, who will manage Team Nanum, and Landers manager Lee Sung-yong, in charge of Team Dream, each announced 13 reserves, who will join the 12 starters on each team voted on by fans and peers last week.

The Kiwoom Heroes and the Lotte Giants were the only two clubs without any representatives in the starting 12, but they will each send four reserves.

For Team Dream, all seven pitchers selected by Lee are first-time All-Stars, including Giants rookie Park Jeong-min and Lions freshman Jang Chan-hee.

On Team Nanum, former MLB All-Star Ryu Hyun-jin was picked as a reserve. It will be his ninth KBO All-Star Game and his first as a reserve since 2009.

Heroes closer Yuto Kanakubo was also selected, becoming the only Asian quota player at this year's All-Star Game.

Kanakubo's teammate, Park Jun-hyun, is the only rookie for Team Nanum. His father, Park Sok-min, played in multiple All-Star Games for the Lions and the Dinos.

Of 50 players in total, 27 will be in for their first All-Star Game.


Yonhap