Seoul: After playing in back-to-back postseasons in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), Samsung Lions outfielder and captain Koo Ja-wook is hungry for more. And Koo has all the more reason to feel confident about his club’s chances next year, after the Lions signed veteran slugger Choi Hyoung-woo in free agency and brought him back to the team where he’d started his career in 2002.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Choi, the oldest position player in the league at 41, still put up strong numbers in 2025, with a .307/.399/.529 line, 24 home runs, 86 RBIs, and 30 doubles in 133 games for the Kia Tigers. Koo, who debuted in 2015 and last played with Choi in 2016, expressed his excitement and anticipation for the new season during a media scrum before the Golden Glove award ceremony in Seoul.
The Lions boasted a powerful offense in 2025, leading the KBO with 161 home runs, a .427 slugging percentage, and a .780 on-base plus slugging. Their first baseman, Lewin Diaz, topped the league with 50 home runs and a single-season record 158 RBIs, while young sluggers Kim Young-woong and Lee Jae-hyeon also had solid campaigns. Koo himself had a productive year with a .319/.402/.516 line, 19 homers, 96 RBIs, and a league-best 106 runs scored. Adding Choi’s combination of power, contact, and on-base skills could make the Lions an even bigger threat.
Koo emphasized the team’s potential and the strong message sent by the front office, saying, “I think the front office sent us a strong message here, and they made us shift our focus from trying to play good baseball to trying to win a championship. As captain, I will try to hammer that home with my teammates.”
Choi, on his return to the Lions, expressed his honor and commitment to the team, stating, “I think our lineup will be in pretty good shape, but we will have to be even better than this year. I will keep trusting myself.”