20 first-timers highlight list of KBO All-Star reserves
LG Twins players celebrate their win after the club's Korea Baseball Organization regular-season game against SSG Landers at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, June 10. Yonhap
The list of Korean baseball All-Star reserves announced Monday featured 20 first-time selections.
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) unveiled 26 reserves for the annual All-Star Game, set for July 11 at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul.
Representatives from the league's 10 teams will be split to two sides. Players for the Doosan Bears, the Samsung Lions, the Lotte Giants, the KT Wiz and the 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 12 starters per each team voted on by fans and peers last week.
The Kiwoom Heroes and the Lotte Giants were the only two clubs not to have any representatives in the starting 12, but they will send four reserves each.
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 major league 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.