Lotte Giants’s ex-coach Kim Min-jae / Courtesy of Lotte Giants
Kim Min-jae, a former slick-fielding shortstop who helped Korea win the 2008 Olympic gold medal, died Wednesday at age 53.
The Lotte Giants, for whom Kim made his Korea Baseball Group (KBO) debut in 1991, introduced Kim had succumbed to most cancers earlier Wednesday.
Kim joined the Giants, his hometown group within the southeastern metropolis of Busan, out of highschool in 1991. He was a member of the Giants’ final Korean Collection-winning squad in 1992 and performed for that membership till 2001.
He went on to spend the subsequent 4 seasons with the SK Wyverns (at the moment SSG Landers) and wrapped up his profession with 4 seasons for the Hanwha Eagles.
He completed with 2,113 profession video games, essentially the most by a shortstop in KBO historical past and Twelfth-most general, together with a .247 batting common, 1,503 hits and 174 steals. He additionally put down essentially the most sacrifice bunts in league historical past with 228, with no energetic participant even at 200.
Internationally, Kim represented Korea on the inaugural World Baseball Basic in 2006, when the nation reached the semifinals, after which on the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the place Korea gained all 9 video games en path to the gold medal.
After retiring in 2009, Kim served as a coach for the Eagles, the Doosan Bears, the KT Wiz, the Giants and the Landers. He rejoined the Giants as bench coach forward of the 2024 season.
Kim was recognized with most cancers throughout his first season on the Giants teaching workers. Out of respect for his or her former participant, the Giants stored Kim on the payroll and reassigned him to their minor league affiliate.
Kim break up his 2025 season between the KBO and the minor league, however then started experiencing extra well being issues late final 12 months.
The Giants had deliberate to ease Kim’s workload this 12 months by having him work with gamers in harm rehabs.
