Lotte Giants’ starting shortstop Jeon Min-jae (27) is replicating the torrid hitting pace he displayed in April of last year.
In a home game against the NC Dinos at Sajik Baseball Stadium in Busan on May 12, Jeon prevented his team from being shut out. Batting seventh and playing shortstop, he stepped up as the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the third inning with Lotte trailing 1-0. He took NC starter Riley Thompson’s slider deep for a solo home run to left field. The Giants would go on to lose 8-1, making Jeon’s homer their only run of the night.
Jeon also recorded a multi-hit game, including a double, in Lotte’s 2-0 win over the KIA Tigers on May 10, snapping a two-game losing streak. His hot streak began on May 2 against the SSG Landers in Incheon, extending to four consecutive multi-hit games. Through nine games in May, he is batting .394.
Acquired via trade from the Doosan Bears in November 2024, Jeon saw increased playing time in the 2025 season as incumbent Lotte infielders Park Seung-wook, Son Ho-young, and Kim Min-sung dealt with injuries and poor performance. He not only maintained his well-regarded defensive skills but also demonstrated improved hitting, earning the starting shortstop job. However, the beginning of this season was tough—he hit just .197 through the fourth week of April (23 games).
Despite the offensive struggles, Jeon never lost his defensive focus. During the final week of April, a three-game series against the Kiwoom Heroes, he delivered several highlight-reel plays in the field while also contributing offensively, sparking a turnaround. He has carried that momentum into May.
Last April, Jeon posted a blistering .423 average over 23 games. Now, as Lotte’s offense has cooled down after a brief surge in the first week of May, Jeon’s increased power production since late April makes him a key contributor from the bottom of the lineup, fueling the Giants’ attack.
