Finally, the home run has arrived. Son Ah-seop of the Doosan Bears is heating up at the perfect time in the minor leagues.
Playing as the third hitter and designated hitter in a Futures League game against the Sangmu Phoenix in Icheon, Son launched a massive three-run homer that traveled an estimated 125 meters in his very first at-bat.
With the game scoreless in the bottom of the first inning, Son came to the plate with runners on first and second after an error and a walk. He battled Sangmu starter Choi Hyun-seok to a full count before crushing the sixth pitch over the center-field fence, giving Doosan an immediate 3-0 lead.
The home run was a clear signal that Son, who struggled initially after being sent down but has steadily improved his timing, is now fully locked in at the plate.
Son Ah-seop was traded to Doosan on April 14 and made his first-team debut the same day against the SSG Landers in Incheon. He impressed with a solo home run and finished the game with one hit, two RBIs, two runs, and two walks in three at-bats. However, his form dipped soon after, and he was demoted to the second team on April 29.
His time in the minors didn’t start well either. Over seven games, he managed just one hit in 16 at-bats.
But the “Hit Machine” with 2,622 career hits in the KBO hasn’t lost his touch. He began to find his groove with a double against Ulsan on May 8, followed by consecutive two-hit games against SSG on May 9 and 10. Now, with the home run, he has a four-game hitting streak and is back in form.
Son is a living legend in the KBO. Joining the Lotte Giants in 2007, he has played for NC, Hanwha, and now Doosan through free agency and trades, marking two decades in the league. He has won the batting title once (2023) and the most hits award four times (2012, 2013, 2017, 2023), leaving a lasting impression as one of the league’s top hitters.
Earlier this season, he held the all-time hits record, but has since been overtaken by Samsung’s Choi Hyung-woo after a slump.
Son had declared for free agency for a third time after last season but received no offers. He finally signed a one-year, 100 million won contract with Hanwha in early February, well after spring training had started. After just one plate appearance with the first team, he was sent down to the minors and later traded to Doosan, where he now aims to restore his reputation.
“I live day by day. I just need to survive each day, each season,” Son said. “My only goal is to hear that ‘Doosan’s choice was not wrong.’ That’s all I want.” That moment may be closer than ever now.