The NC Dinos and LG Twins have made a one-for-one trade.
NC announced that it has agreed to a one-for-one trade, sending outfielder Choi Seung-min (27) to LG and receiving pitcher Chae Ji-seon (28).
Chae Ji-seon, who will wear the NC uniform, is a right-handed pitcher from Gwangju Jeil-Go who joined Doosan with the 8th overall pick in the second round of the 2015 rookie draft before moving to LG via trade in the 2021 season.
Since making his first-team debut in 2020, he has pitched 54 innings in 55 games with a 1-3 record and a 4.00 ERA. This year, he has primarily pitched in the Futures League, going 2-1 with a 3.63 ERA in 17 games and 17 1/3 innings pitched in the Futures League.
Choi Seung-min, a right-handed hitting outfielder, joined the NC as a developmental player in 2015 after graduating from Shinil High School and has been playing for the NC since 2019.
In 116 games with the first team, he batted .297 with 74 hits, 22 doubles, five triples, 32 runs scored, and 16 stolen bases. In the 2023 season, he is hitting .239 with 16 home runs and seven doubles in 67 at-bats in 24 games in the Futures League.
This trade is not a big deal, but it is an agreement to fill a need for both teams.
NC is expected to utilize Chae Ji-seon as a bullpen pitcher due to recent injuries to its starting pitching staff, including Koo Chang-mo, Lee Jae-hak, and Choi Sung-young, and an overloaded bullpen.
“Chae Ji-sun is a pitcher with a good fastball and a variety of pitches,” said NC head coach Lim Sun-nam. “We expect to strengthen the depth of the pitching staff through the signing of Chae Ji-sun and especially complement the bullpen operation.”
Chae will join the first team on the 20th and is expected to contribute from the second half.
As for Choi Seung-min, LG will utilize him as a pinch-hitter. LG initially considered Shin Min-jae as a specialized pinch-hitter, but Shin has recently established himself as the starting second baseman.
“We believe that Choi Seung-min 고스톱 has excellent operational capabilities as a pinch-hitter with a fast pace,” LG said, “and we expect him to help the team in the second half of the game.”