Veteran Baseball Player Surges in All-Star Fan Vote
A veteran baseball player, now 38 years old, is making a significant impact in the 2026 Shinhan SOL KBO All-Star Game fan vote. Preliminary results released on June 8 show the player, who recently transferred teams, holding a strong second place overall and leading his designated hitter position.
Unexpected Rise in Popularity
The player has garnered an impressive 766,947 votes for the “Dream All-Star” designated hitter category, trailing only his teammate by a margin of 69,597 votes. This surge in popularity marks a notable achievement for the athlete, who is aiming for an All-Star Best 12 selection for the first time in his career as a designated hitter.
He has surpassed key competitors for his position, including Choi Hyung-woo of the Samsung Lions, who has received 585,542 votes, and Jeon Jun-woo of the Lotte Giants, with 110,072 votes. The player currently leads the designated hitter race.
Trade and Immediate Impact
The veteran player was traded to the Doosan Bears from the Hanwha Eagles on April 14, at the age of 38. The trade involved the Bears sending pitcher Lee Gyo-hoon and 150 million won in cash to acquire the player, who was then considered a top prospect with a record for the most home runs in KBO history. The move was intended to revitalize the Bears’ struggling offense.
His debut with the Bears was impactful, recording one hit (a home run), two RBIs, two runs scored, and two walks in his first game against the SSG Landers in Incheon. Despite an initial dip in performance, the player dedicated himself to rigorous training, reportedly practicing hitting alone from early morning. His renewed dedication earned him praise from manager Kim Won-hyung and significantly contributed to the Bears’ strong performance in May, boasting a .356 batting average and helping the team achieve a winning record.
Dominance Across Player Ranks
The Dream All-Star team is seeing strong representation from the Doosan Bears across multiple positions. Starting pitcher Kwak Bin, relief pitcher Kim Jeong-woo, and closer Lee Young-ha are all leading their respective pitching categories in the intermediate vote count. Catcher Yang Eui-ji, second baseman Park Jun-su, and third baseman Park Chan-ho are also leading their positions.
In the outfield, Jeong Soo-bin leads, Kim Min-seok is third, and the player in question also ranks high as a designated hitter. This widespread success highlights the strong performance of the Doosan Bears this season.
Record Fan Turnout for All-Star Voting
The 2026 season is witnessing record-breaking fan engagement, which is reflected in the All-Star fan voting. The first intermediate count shows a total of 1,593,982 votes, an increase of approximately 16.2% compared to the 1,372,012 votes cast by the same point in the 2025 All-Star voting.
Fan voting for the 2026 KBO All-Star Game Best 12 will continue until 2 PM on June 23. The second intermediate results will be released on June 15. The final Best 12 roster, determined by a combination of fan votes (70%) and player votes (30%), will be announced on June 24.
Jamsil Stadium Hosts Final All-Star Game
The highly anticipated All-Star Game is scheduled for July 11 at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul. This will be the final All-Star Game to be held at Jamsil Stadium, as the venue is set to be decommissioned after the 2026 season.
