Twins pitcher Song Seung-ki touted as Rookie of the Year 'front-runner' in standout season

LG Twins pitcher Song Seung-ki is quickly establishing himself as one of the standout new faces in the 2025 KBO season in his fifth year as a pro player.

LG Twins pitcher Song Seung-ki pitches during a KBO game against the Doosan Bears at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in southern Seoul on May 5. [YONHAP]

LG Twins pitcher Song Seung-ki is quickly establishing himself as one of the standout new faces in the 2025 KBO season in his fifth year as a pro player.

Song, 23, made his KBO debut with the Twins in 2021, but struggled to lock down a role in the first team in the past four seasons.

His performances and stats so far in the 2025 campaign tell a different story. Song has recorded a 2.30 ERA across as of press time Sunday, which puts him in third overall and first among Korean pitchers.

Song's performance is drawing praise such as “an ace-like No. 5 starter” and “the front-runner for Rookie of the Year,” as he plays a key role in the Twins' race for the top of the standings.

“I’ve seen a lot of articles praising me, but I just read them without much thought,” Song said on Wednesday at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in southern Seoul. “I know I still have a long way to go, so I try not to get carried away. I usually read baseball articles carefully, but I don’t search for my name specifically."

Song’s rise comes after his slow start in the KBO.

He was selected 87th overall in the ninth round of the 2021 draft out of Yatap High School, attracting little attention at the time. It was during his mandatory military service that his transformation began.

Song overhauled both his mechanics and mindset, while playing for the military team Sangmu Phoenix in the second-tier KBO Futures League.

He expanded his backswing, which helped increase his fastball velocity up to 148 kilometers per hour (91 miles per hour).

He also changed his mental approach on the mound.

“I used to worry about getting hit as soon as I stepped on the mound,” he said. “But I started telling myself, ‘I’m not giving up a single run.’”

He appeared in 20 games in the Futures League last year, recording 11 wins, a 2.41 ERA and 121 strikeouts — winning the pitching triple crown.

“Even after being discharged [from the military], I’ve kept the same mechanics and mindset,” he said.

LG Twins pitcher Song Seung-ki pitches during a KBO game against the Kiwoom Heroes at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in southern Seoul on May 14. [NEWS1]

Song still remains the Twins' No. 5 starter, despite his ace-level numbers,

“The fifth spot in the rotation is one you can lose at any time if your form slips,” he said. “Whether it’s with Sangmu or in the first team, the one thing I hate most is being taken off the mound early, regardless of the result.”

His goals this season reflect that mentality.

“Of course, Rookie of the Year, double-digit wins and an ERA in the 2.00s are all important,” he said. “But right now, those aren’t my priorities. I want to become the best innings-eater in the KBO. If I can lighten the load for the next pitcher, we can all enjoy the game more.

“Recently, manager Youm Kyoung-youp told me, ‘Your stuff right now isn’t the kind that allows for back-to-back hits. If you throw properly and still get hit, that’s out of your control, so pitch with confidence.' Right now, I feel like my body and mind are perfectly in sync. I think I’ve found my game.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff. BY SONG JI-HOON [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]