Position Players First, Pitchers Later... Why Teams Are Changing Their Rookie Draft Strategy [FN Amateur Baseball]

[Financial News] The landscape of the professional baseball rookie draft is shifting.
The era when pitchers were considered the 'crown jewel' of the draft is fading. Instead, the idea that 'position players are the future of the team' is taking root. The 2026 rookie draft symbolized this change.
The biggest story at the 2026 Korea Baseball Organization rookie draft, held at Lotte Hotel on September 17, was the NC Dinos selecting Shin Jae-in with the second overall pick and the Hanwha Eagles choosing Oh Jae-won with the third. Traditionally, the early rounds were dominated by pitchers ready to make an immediate impact.
But this year was different. Kiwoom Heroes picked Park Han-gyul from Jeonju High School (10th overall) and Kim Ji-seok from Incheon High School (11th overall) back-to-back, while NC Dinos immediately selected Lee Hee-seong. A 'position player storm' swept through the early draft.

Why has this trend emerged? The answer is simple. Pitchers can be supplemented at any time, but developing position players takes time.
Under the Korea Baseball Organization’s foreign player system, teams consistently rely on proven foreign pitchers. Even if a scout makes a mistake, there are alternatives. But it’s different for position players. It’s difficult to replace a foreign position player mid-season, and factors like team chemistry, language, and cultural adaptation play a major role. Ultimately, the depth of domestic position players determines a team’s strength and forms the backbone of championship runs.
The Samsung Lions are a prime example. In the 2022 rookie draft, they selected Lee Jae-hyun in the first round and Kim Young-woong in the second round. At the time, eight of the eleven picks were position players. Three years later, that decision is now considered a masterstroke.

This season, Kim Young-woong cemented his status as a core hitter by blasting two three-run homers in the playoffs. Lee Jae-hyun has become the team’s field general, anchoring both offense and defense. The reason for Samsung’s successful rebuild is clear: prioritizing position players.
Hanwha Eagles’ story supports this as well.
When Hanwha selected infielder Moon Hyunbin from Bukil High School in the second round of the 2023 draft, many were puzzled. Most expected them to pick a pitcher. However, Moon Hyunbin posted a .320 batting average this year, ranking fifth overall, and developed into a top-tier hitter, even surpassing Kim Min-seok of Lotte Giants. With 16 RBIs in the postseason, he became a key figure in Hanwha’s autumn run.


In the end, teams’ faith in their instincts and their choice to prioritize position players has led to their rise to the top of the league.
SSG Landers’ decision to select catcher Lee Yul-ye in the first round is part of the same trend.
The catcher position, which oversees strategy, game-calling, and defense, is considered the 'brain' of the team and is the rarest commodity in the Korea Baseball Organization. Lee Yul-ye made his first-team debut late in the season and also appeared in the postseason. He has quickly emerged as a leading candidate to anchor SSG’s home plate in the upcoming 'Cheongna era.' His walk-off homer on October 1 is still a hot topic among fans.
The strength of the center line—catcher, infielder, and center fielder—directly correlates with a team’s competitiveness.

Another reason for the preference for position players is their economic value and fan appeal. Pitchers take the mound once every five days, but position players interact with fans daily. Kim Do-young, for example, brought in tremendous profits for his team through uniform sales alone, aside from his on-field skills. Players like Kim Do-young, Lee Jae-hyun, Kim Young-woong, Moon Hyunbin, Shin Min-jae, and Moon Bo-gyeong are not only central to their teams’ performance but also to expanding the fan base. In particular, LG’s championship run was made possible by the table-setting duo of Hong Chang-ki and Shin Min-jae, Moon Bo-gyeong’s defense at third base, and Park Dong-won’s power hitting. The growth of domestic position players has become a prerequisite for winning championships.

Pitchers are still important. The saying 'baseball is a pitcher’s game' still holds true. However, in today’s league structure, the value of position players is rising rapidly.
With the three-foreign-pitcher system firmly in place, the quality of domestic position players can determine a team’s fate. Since it’s difficult to strengthen the lineup with position players in the later rounds, the trend of securing them early in the draft is likely to continue.
A scout from one club explained, "Good pitchers are still available in the second or third round. But for position players, there are none left even early in the second round." This is also why Lee Hee-seong from Wonju High School, despite some concerns about his skills compared to previous years, was selected so highly.
Shin Jae-in, who exploded for five hits in five at-bats in the Ulsan-KBO Fall League finals on November 1, has become a new symbol. He is not just a prospect—he is the declaration of a new era centered on position players in the draft.
jsi@fnnews.com Jeon Sang-il Reporter