National baseball team coach Ryu Ji-hyun is interviewing reporters ahead of the warm-up match between South Korea and the Czech Republic in the ‘2025 Naver K-BASEBALL Series’ scheduled to be held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul on the afternoon of the 9th. Yonhap News
Ryu Ji-hyun, coach of the Korean national baseball team, said, “There is a very high possibility that the players selected for the national team in this evaluation match will play a key role in the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC).”
Coach Ryu said this at a press conference before the second game against the Czech Republic in the 2025 K-BASEBALL Series held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 9th.
Many players with less seniority were selected for this national team. 2025 season rookies Kim Young-woo (LG), Jeong Woo-joo (Hanwha), and Bae Chan-seung (Samsung) were named in the entry list. Kim Taek-yeon (Doosan), Lee Ro-woon (SSG), Kim Seo-hyun (Hanwha), and Moon Hyun-bin (Hanwha) are young guns in their second or third years who have played as starting players for their respective teams. Ahn Hyun-min (KT) and Seong Young-tak (KIA), who stood out this season, wore the Taegeuk symbol for the first time in their careers.
Coach Ryu left open the possibility that the young players on this national team could play starting roles in the WBC. He said, “Not all members of the current national team can enter the WBC entry,” but “there is a very high possibility that the players here will play a key role.”
South Korea’s national baseball team coach Ryu Ji-hyun is answering questions from reporters prior to full-scale training at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 4th. The national baseball team preparing for the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March 2026 held its first training with the entire team ahead of this weekend’s evaluation match. 2025.11.4 Yonhap News
Coach Ryu said, “I expect that if this season’s performance, ability to adapt to international games, and experience in the game against Japan at Tokyo Dome next week are naturally connected, the players will use their existing rhythm and routine and show good performance.”
Coach Ryu said, “In the first game against the Czech Republic yesterday (the 8th), players with national team experience played comfortably, while players experiencing it for the first time were nervous,” and added, “I think that process is leading to a good situation.”
Coach Ryu declined to comment on the possibility of including veterans such as Ryu Hyun-jin in the final entry. Coach Ryu said, “We have a guideline that envisions the final 30 players as the best members, but there may be many variables depending on how the off-season is spent.” He added, “Right now, we are preparing comprehensively while considering the variables.” Coach Ryu added, “I expect that several players will be included when we go to Saipan on January 9th for training in a mini camp format.”
