5 of last year's top 6 disappeared...Competition for stolen bases has changed dramatically, 35-year-old center fielder alone No. 1 → Retaking the throne for the first time in 7 years, Cho-joon Jung

Jun 10, 2025

LG Park Hae-min is happy after hitting a double in the bottom of the third inning of the game between LG and Samsung at Jamsil Baseball Stadium on the 17th. Jamsil= Reporter's wook@sportschosun.com/2025.04.17/

The KBO League match between SSG and Lotte at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on the 26th. SSG Jihoon Choi hit a solo home run against Lotte Kim Jin-wook in the bottom of the first inning. a Jihoon Choi circling the ground Incheon = Song Jeong-heon Reporter's songs@sportschosun.com/2025.03.26/

Lotte-Samsung match held at Lions Park in Daegu on the 29th. Kim Sung-yoon is safe with a head first sliding on first base after hitting a surprise bunt in the bottom of the first inning. Daegu = Reporter Jung Jae-geun cjg@sportschosun.com /2025.5.29/

Last year, a total of six players stole more than 40 bases. Five of them disappeared from the top.

The steal pace has slowed significantly. The face of major competitors has also changed dramatically.

Will LG's Park Hae-min be the 35-year-old center fielder of this year. As of last year, Park Hae-min was the only one to survive in 'Top 6'. He is the sole leader in this category with 17 stolen bases (as of the 9th). The remaining five players, including defending champion Cho Ha-soo, Jung Soo-bin, Hwang Sung-bin, Kim Ji-chan, and Kim Do-young, all fell out of the 5th place.

Is it desperation ahead of the second FA. Still showing off his tough skills. The batting average is only 2206, but it is often used as a leadoff with a on-base percentage of 350.

This year, he is also active in the spacious Jamsil Stadium as the `Devil of the Jungwon.' The defense, which still adds quickness, speed, and skill to batting judgment, shines even more.

If Park Hae-min wins the steal king, it will be the first time in seven years since 2018. Park Hae-min won the steal king for four consecutive years from 2015 to 2018, but has since given up the title to Park Chan-ho, Shim Woo-joon, Kim Hye-sung, Jung Soo-bin and Jo Ha-young.

However, considering the competition between the top three groups (64), Jung Soo-bin (52) and Hwang Sung-bin (51) last year, while playing 60-67 games per team, the steal pace is slow this year.

The game between Hanwha and KIA at KIA Champions Field in Gwangju on the 8th, Hanwha Floral hitting an RBI sacrifice fly with one out and runners on the first and third bases in the top of the 8th inning, and sharing joy. Gwangju = Reporter's wook@sportschosun.com/2025.06.08/

SSG Jihoon Choi and Jung Joon-jae (15 more) duo took the second place for stolen bases.

Last year, Doosan's Cho Ha-soo and Jung Soo-bin duo swept the top two spots with 116 stolen bases, and will they be able to see a team 'one-two monopoly' again this year. Jihoon Choi is the leadoff of SSG again this year. He has recorded double-digit stolen bases for six consecutive years, ranked fifth in 2021 (26) and third in 2022 (31), but failed to connect with the steal king. Jung Joon-jae suffered a lot of jinx in his second year at the beginning of the season, but he is gradually recovering in the belief of SSG coach Lee Soo-yong.

Samsung's Kim Sung-yoon, Hanwha's foreign hitter Floral, and NC's Kim Joo-won, who had the best year of their lives by racing to the top of this year's batting average, follow with 13.

Kim Sung-yoon has a good batting average as well as a good pioneer. The on-base percentage is also ranked first overall with 437. That's how many opportunities there are. Along with Lee Won-seok, Moon Hyun-bin (11) and Roh Si-hwan (10), Floral raises Hanwha to the top of the team's stolen bases (63), changing the evaluation of 's Slow Team'. Kim Joo-won is also paying back the expectations of NC manager Lee Ho-joon, who nailed the second batter despite the initial slump, saying, `The only person who will play for our team is Gib Joo-won.'

Hanwha Noh Si-hwan, with two outs and a runner on first base, hits a double and cheers at the top of the fourth inning at Gwangju KIA Champions Field on the 7th. Gwangju = Reporter's wook@sportschosun.com/2025.06.07/

Only after exiting the top five can the names of existing strong players such as Doosan's Jung Soo-bin and KIA's Park Chan-ho (12). Samsung's Kim Ji-chan and NC's Park Min-woo (11) be seen. Lotte's Hwang Sung-bin has been stopped by injuries in 10, and is supported by newcomers such as Jang Doo-sung (9), and Kim Dong-hyuk (8). Noh Si-hwan, who has as many stolen bases as his home runs (11), is also notable.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.