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Kia Tigers right-handed pitcher Lee Do Hyun is drawing significant attention for his strong performance in the 2025 Autumn League, being recognized as the team's biggest gain. Born in 2005 and a graduate of Hwimun High School, Lee Do Hyun entered professional baseball after a period of rehabilitation for an elbow injury, and is now considered a promising prospect expected to make a significant step-up next season.
Lee Do Hyun initially played both pitcher and hitter at Hwimun High School before fully transitioning to pitching, changing his delivery from sidearm to overhand. Despite undergoing elbow surgery in his third year of high school, he was miraculously drafted by Kia in the 7th round of the 2023 KBO Draft. He focused on rehabilitation in 2023 and made his Futures League debut in July 2024. In 2024, he consistently started in the Futures League, demonstrating full recovery from his elbow injury, and made 6 appearances in the KBO League, recording 1 win and 1 loss. Notably, he concluded the season with a 5-inning shutout win against SSG on October 2nd.
Bloggers mention Lee Do Hyun as one of the potential starting pitcher candidates for the Kia Tigers in the 2026 season, highly evaluating his potential as a replacement starter alongside Hwang Dong-ha and Kim Tae-hyung. Based on his impressive finish in the 2024 KBO League and consistent starting experience in the Futures League, he is anticipated to develop into a key asset for the Kia pitching staff in the future.
