New Bears infielder Severino wants to be cheery teammate

Yunior Severino of the Doosan Bears prepares for batting practice at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of Doosan Bears

Yunior Severino, the new infielder for the Doosan Bears, landed in Korea on Sunday and then had his first practice with his new Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) club two days later.

Admittedly jetlagged and dealing with stifling conditions in Seoul, Severino was still all smiles. For someone on his first day with his new club, Severino looked entirely comfortable at Jamsil Baseball Stadium.

"I have only been in Korea for a couple of days, but I already feel at home," the Dominican Republic native told reporters through an interpreter. "I heard stadiums here are beautiful and people are very kind. And I have been treated really well here, and the city is really beautiful."

Severino said he was ready to spread good vibes to his new teammates.

"I am always a cheerful and energetic person," he said. "I want to be remembered as a big cheerleader for my teammates and someone who brings positive energy. I think my upbeat personality is one of my strengths."

Of course, the Bears did not sign Severino just to be the smiling face in the clubhouse. The 26-year-old switch hitter carried a robust .340/.402/.529 line with five homers and 44 RBIs in 54 games in the Mexican League this season before moving to the KBO. The career minor leaguer has experience playing both corner infield positions. While the Bears see him as their primary first baseman, Severino should be able to spell An Jae-seok at the hot corner.

Severino, who said he feels comfortable hitting from either side of the plate, is taking over from outfielder Daz Cameron, who had nine homers and 43 RBIs in 75 games but only batted .244 with runners in scoring position. The Bears have a surplus of young outfielders that they want to play more, and they wanted a new foreign hitter who could handle first base on defense.

Severino said he will try to help the team any way he can.

"Over the course of a season, I will have some difficult days. And even in those moments, it is important to stay patient and try to find something positive," Severino said. "For instance, even when I go hitless, I still want to draw walks, get on base and score runs to help the team win. I believe the most important thing for me is to keep making plays that can contribute to the team, even on bad days."

Severino may find it difficult to flash his power potential right away — he belted 21 home runs in Triple-A as recently as 2024 — because the Bears play their home games at the largest and the least hitter-friendly stadium in the KBO. For his part, Severino said he will not worry about the size of his new home ballpark.

"The key for me is to pay attention to and take care of every little detail," he said. "I want to get better every day. I will focus only on positive things, like giving my 100 percent to help the team win."

Before traveling to Korea, Severino said he spoke with former Kia Tigers slugger Aderlin Rodriguez about the KBO. Severino also has some history with other current KBO players, such as Lewin Diaz of the Samsung Lions and Yonathan Perlaza of the Hanwha Eagles.

"I heard the KBO is a very competitive league," Severino said. "I also heard that this will be a great opportunity for me to grow as a player."

Entering what many consider to be prime years for athletes, Severino said he will embrace whatever challenges the new league throws his way.

"Baseball is the same wherever you go. When you end up in a new country, you just have to make an effort to get acclimated to your new surroundings and to get better every day," Severino said. "I heard that the KBO is similar with the Mexican League as far as pitchers' tendencies. My job is to maintain my form from Mexico and make adjustments to the Korean system the best I can."