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From pinch-hitter to 'Cinderella' second baseman...'monster' approach Shin Min-jae dreams of evolving again
Shin Min-jae (28-LG Twins) has evolved into a starter and is ready to evolve once again. His defense has gotten stronger, his bat has gotten harder.
In the opening home game of the 2024 KBO regular season against the Hanwha Eagles at Jamsil Stadium on March 23, Shin Min-jae started at No. 9 and went 2-for-4 with two doubles, three RBIs and one run scored. It was a big deal because his opponent was the "monster" Ryu Hyun-jin (37, Hanwha Eagles).
For Shin, starting on Opening Day was a big deal. He entered professional baseball as a developmental player in 2015 and had never started a season as a starter. He was a pinch-hitter thanks to his quick feet, but it wasn't until last year that he was evaluated as a mainstay who could run the bases. He was gradually given a chance by LG coach Yeom Kyung-yeop, and by the end of the season, he had become an integral part of the LG batting lineup with his quick feet and precise hitting, challenging for a triple by the end of the season.
In his first game in 2024, the year he was supposed to develop into a true full-time starter, he got his first hit against the league's most talked-about player, Ryu Hyun-jin. With the bases loaded and the score tied 0-0 in the bottom of the second inning, Shin took a five-pitch fastball from Ryu for a two-RBI single to left field. It was the first run allowed by Ryu in 12 years on the KBO mound.
Shin Min-jae also played a crucial role in the fourth inning, when the score was tied 2-2. He hit a curveball from Ryu Hyun-jin for a grounder with two outs. However, Hanwha's second baseman Moon Hyun-bin made a throwing error and Shin survived. Shin's "survival" proved to be the difference in the game. Shin scored on Hong Chang-ki's single to center field to help sink Ryu Hyun-jin.
In the seventh inning, he lined a single up the middle against Hanwha reliever Lee Min-woo to complete his multi-hit and three-RBI performance. With his performance, LG took an 8-2 victory and a refreshing start to 2024.
"He has a good fastball, so I tried to hit him in a fast count," Shin told the media after the game. "I heard that he only throws a changeup 2% of the time to lefties, so I was only thinking about two things: a fastball and a curve. Even after strike two, I thought about the fastball first, and I think it worked out well."
He also put his opening game opponent and the pressure of a bases-loaded situation out of his mind. "I didn't think about anything else," Shin said, adding, "I just thought about hitting the fastball when it came."
Shin is hoping to fully realize his talent this year after failing to capitalize on it last year. After failing to reach a triple-digit batting average due to a slump at the end of the season, he hopes to prove his worth with the bat with a blind training session this winter. "It's early in the season, but I feel good hitting. My bat speed has increased by more than 10 km/h on average compared to last year," he said.