The KIA Tigers and Lotte Giants have secured top high school baseball prospects in the 2027 KBO Rookie Draft. KIA selected infielder Lee Ho-min from Gyeongnam High School, while Lotte chose left-handed pitcher Park Geun-se from Seoul Design High School.

The two players recently gained attention as members of the South Korea Under-18 (U-18) national baseball team. While Lee Ho-min made his presence felt in the lineup, Park Geun-se demonstrated his competitiveness on the mound.

◆ Lee Ho-min, a Right-Handed Power Hitter Covering Corner Infield... A Future Asset for KIA's Middle of the Order

Lee Ho-min, a right-handed power-hitting infielder at Gyeongnam High School, was early on regarded as a candidate for an early pick in this draft. His greatest strength is his ability to cover corner infield positions as a power-hitting asset. How he settles into a defensive position at the professional level remains a challenge, but his hitting potential has drawn high praise. For KIA, he represents a right-handed power hitter who could anchor the heart of the lineup in the long term.

◆ Park Geun-se, Three Scoreless Innings in National Team Evaluation Games... Proving His Competitiveness on the Mound

Park Geun-se also played a key role as a pitcher alongside Lee Ho-min on the youth national team. In a national team evaluation game, Park Geun-se threw three scoreless innings, while Lee Ho-min exploded for three hits and three RBIs, with both players making their presence felt together.

Attention is now focused on what kind of growth curve KIA's Lee Ho-min and Lotte's Park Geun-se will draw as they move beyond the high school stage to the professional ranks.

[The growth and future performance of rookie players may vary depending on each club's development direction and the players' adaptation. This article is not an evaluation of or investment recommendation for any specific club or player, and AI provided partial assistance in the writing process.]