Seoul:Kia Tigers' star player Kim Do-yeong is in the running for his second MVP award in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) within three seasons.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the KBO announced 14 candidates for its regular-season MVP award. Automatic nominations went to leaders of key pitching and hitting categories, while additional selections were made by the KBO and the Korea Baseball Writers Association.
Kim, who won the MVP in 2024, led the league with a personal best of 45 home runs and a .647 slugging percentage. He also ranked in the top five for runs, RBIs, total bases, on-base percentage, and OPS. His 45th home run was pivotal in the Tigers' 4-2 victory over the LG Twins, securing the No. 3 seed for postseason play and allowing them to skip the wild card stage.
Other nominated position players include KT Wiz's Sam Hilliard, who led the league with 139 RBIs and finished just one home run behind Kim. Austin Dean of the LG Twins topped the league in OPS with 1.062, while Victor Reyes of the Lotte Giants set a single-season record with 211 hits.
The list of nominees also features seven pitchers, highlighted by Gwak Been of the Doosan Bears, who led in ERA at 2.24 and strikeouts with 197.
For the Rookie of the Year, nine players are in contention. Eligibility required no more than 30 innings or 60 plate appearances over the past five years, barring those with prior professional experience overseas. Leading candidates include Hanwha Eagles catcher Heo In-seo, with 20 home runs and 79 RBIs, and Twins infielder Moon Jeong-bin, with 19 home runs and 66 RBIs.
The KBO also announced that all ten managers from this season are in the running for the Manager of the Year award. Winners will be revealed at an awards ceremony scheduled for November.