Doosan Bears release veteran Son Ah-seop and 10 others six months after trade
In short
Doosan Bears said on 19 October that they had told 11 players, including outfielder Son Ah-seop (38) and pitcher Kim Myung-shin, that their contracts will not be renewed. Son, who has 2,655 career hits, hit .236 in 54 games for Doosan after an April trade from Hanwha.
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The Doosan Bears said on 19 October that they had told 11 players their contracts will not be renewed. The pitchers are Kim Myung-shin (김명신), Kim Ji-yoon (김지윤), Park Kang-min (박강민), Jang Woo-jin (장우진), Lee Gi-seok (이기석) and Baek Seung-woo (백승우). The infielders are Kim Min-hyuk (김민혁), Lee Jong-hyuk (이종혁) and Ji Kang-hyuk (지강혁), and the outfielders are Son Ah-seop (손아섭) and Yang Hyun-jin (양현진). [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Son, 38, is the best-known name on the list. Yonhap said he debuted with the Lotte Giants in 2007 and has played 2,223 games with a .318 average and 2,655 hits. Yonhap ranks him third all-time, behind Samsung Lions' Choi Hyung-woo (2,734) and kt wiz's Kim Hyun-soo (2,691), while Newsis says he is second. Yonhap added that he signed with NC Dinos in December 2021 and won the batting title in 2023 with a .339 average, and was traded to Hanwha Eagles in July 2025. [ 2 , 3 ]
Son signed a one-year, 100 million won deal with Hanwha for 2026, according to Chosun Ilbo and Yonhap. Dong-A Ilbo said he was traded to Doosan on 14 April and that Doosan gave Hanwha pitcher Lee Gyo-hun and 150 million won in cash. Yonhap and Dong-A Ilbo said he homered in his first game for Doosan. He then hit .236 in 54 games, with one home run and 15 RBIs. Newsis said his form dropped from June, he hit .185 in July and he spent most of the time after July in the minor leagues. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Son was on Doosan's wild-card series roster but did not play, according to Chosun Ilbo and Newsis. CBS NoCut News said Doosan finished fifth and lost to fourth-placed LG Twins in the wild-card series. It said the club named Chung Jae-hoon (정재훈) as its new general manager that morning before announcing the releases. [ 1 , 2 , 5 ]
Chosun Ilbo said Kim Myung-shin joined Doosan in 2017 and has a 15-11 record, 45 holds and a 4.47 ERA in 297 games. He made only three first-team appearances this year. Yonhap said Son now faces the possible end of his playing career, while Dong-A Ilbo said he must find a new team. A Chosun Ilbo piece said he turns 39 next year. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 9 ]
Why it matters
The outlets say Son's future in professional baseball is now uncertain, and that his chase of 3,000 hits may end. The move came on the same day Doosan named a new general manager.
Key facts
- Doosan Bears told 11 players on 19 October that their contracts will not be renewed: six pitchers, three infielders and two outfielders. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Outfielder Son Ah-seop (손아섭), 38, is among them; he has 2,223 games, a .318 average and 2,655 hits in his career. [ 1 , 3 , 4 ]
- Son was traded from Hanwha Eagles to Doosan in April; Dong-A Ilbo gives the date as 14 April. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 ]
- In 2026 Son played 54 games for Doosan and hit .236 (37 hits in 157 at-bats) with one home run, 15 RBIs and an OPS of .581. [ 1 , 4 ]
- Son was on Doosan's wild-card series roster but did not play in the game. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Doosan appointed Chung Jae-hoon (정재훈) as new general manager on the same day. [ 5 , 9 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Doosan announced on 19 October that it will not renew the contracts of 11 players, including Son Ah-seop, Kim Myung-shin, Kim Ji-yoon, Park Kang-min, Jang Woo-jin, Lee Gi-seok, Baek Seung-woo, Kim Min-hyuk, Lee Jong-hyuk, Ji Kang-hyuk and Yang Hyun-jin. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Son hit .236 in 54 games for Doosan in 2026. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Son hit a home run in his first game for Doosan after the April trade. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Son has 2,655 career hits. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- Whether Son will find another team and continue his career. Yonhap says he faces the possible end of his playing career; Dong-A Ilbo says he must look for a new team; no document reports any offer or decision.
- Son's place on the all-time hits list. Yonhap and Chosun Ilbo (doc 7) put him third, behind Choi Hyung-woo (2,734) and Kim Hyun-soo (2,691); Newsis says second.
- Why Son lost his role at Hanwha before the trade. Dong-A Ilbo says he got no chances to play at Hanwha; CBS NoCut News says his place narrowed after Hanwha signed an outfielder as a free agent.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Chosun Ilbo, carrying OSEN, publishes the official announcement that Doosan will not renew 11 players. [ 1 ]
- Newsis reports that Son was released after six months at Doosan. [ 2 ]
- Yonhap reports Son's release and his career record. [ 3 ]
- CBS NoCut News reports the release alongside the new general manager's appointment. [ 5 ]