Rookie embracing cleanup role in 1st KBO postseason

By Yoo Jee-ho

GWANGJU, Oct. 18 (Yonhap) -- Playing in his first South Korean baseball postseason, LG Twins infielder Moon Jeong-bin wants to have as much fun as he can, not taking the opportunity at hand for granted.

The 23-year-old started the 2026 Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) season in the minors and only made his season debut on May 15. He stayed with the Twins the rest of the way and ended up playing 91 games. He finished with 19 home runs and 66 RBIs, both of them the second-highest totals by a rookie.

With his raw power, Moon has established himself as the team's primary cleanup hitter, sandwiched by Austin Dean at No. 3 and Moon Bo-gyeong at No. 5.

"Honestly, I figured I would spend most of this year in the minors," Moon told reporters before the Twins opened the best-of-five first round against the Kia Tigers at Gwangju-Kia Champions Field in the southwestern city of Gwangju. "Obviously, I never imagined I would play in the postseason. My goal was just to stay on the roster once I got called up. So to be able to take at-bats in the postseason is a lot of fun. So I am trying to enjoy the experience."

It can be a lot for such an inexperienced player to be handling cleanup duties in these meaningful games. Moon admitted he was "quite nervous" before his first postseason game, the wild card showdown against the Doosan Bears on Wednesday, and it took his first at-bat to bring his jitters under control.

"I think having that first game out of the way really helped," Moon said. "On that way, I was pretty nervous even during batting practice. Today, though, I feel a lot more comfortable."

Moon said he is also comfortable batting cleanup, knowing he is surrounded by two veteran hitters in Dean and Moon Bo-gyeong.

"Of course, the cleanup is an important spot and I would love to drive in runs whenever I can," Moon Jeong-bin said. "But I have Austin in front of me and Bo-gyeong behind me. Even if I don't get the job done, I don't have to get stressed out knowing that those two guys will have my back."

Moon said he also tries to pick Dean's brains, hoping to learn from the American slugger who led the team with 41 home runs this year.

"It is always fun to watch him hit so well. I want to find out what makes him such a great hitter," Moon said. "So I have asked him about how he gets his timing down and how he attacks certain pitchers."