:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67011206/KBO_Top_Targets_Green.0.jpg)
While MLB appears to still be at least a month or two away from restarting, we don’t have to wait any longer for some professional baseball and – most importantly – baseball DFS. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) is underway and DraftKings is welcoming the KBO into the fold with contests for big prizes. On Wednesday morning, the action gets underway at 5:30 a.m. ET.
What do we know about the league? Who should we be putting into lineups? Let’s figure out all this together, position-by-position.
Set your lineups here: KBO $75K Relay Throw [$15K to 1st] (Korean Baseball)
Curious about when major leagues and events will return? Check out our DraftKings Sports Calendar for the latest updates.
What to know about the KBO
PITCHER
Stud
Eric Jokisch, KIW at SAM, $9,700 – I’ll be honest, I almost over-thought this for a second. It’s so instantly clear that Jokisch is a great play on this slate that I lamented going with Drew Rucinski ($10,200) as a possible pivot; however, it’s not like the Dinos’ starter isn’t going to be popular, too. Anyway, Jokisch is currently the best pitcher in the KBO not named Chang Mo Koo. In fact, the southpaw comes into Wednesday ranking second in the league in ERA (1.49), FIP (2.37) and WHIP (0.94). With the Lions struggling to score runs and Won Seok Lee (thumb) on the IL, I don’t see how Jokisch doesn’t put up a solid outing.
Value
Min Woo Kim, HAN at LOT, $7,000 – Kim is far from a perfect DFS asset. His 5.48 FIP is actually the sixth-highest qualified figure in the KBO and his win expectancy is next to nothing pitching for a team that’s lost 15 games in-a-row. However, the upside of Kim is difficult to not find enticing at this price point. At 24.6%, the right-hander possesses the fourth-best strikeout rate in the league. It’s also not like that rate is predicated on a single outlier start, as Kim’s struck out at least six opponents in four of his six appearances in 2020. With the Giants’ bats owning just a .702 OPS, I think I’m willing to bank on Kim’s ceiling.
CATCHER
Stud
Dong Won Park, KIW at SAM, $4,700 – We can keep this pretty simple as Park’s .299 ISO and 171 wRC+ kind of speak for themselves. The backstop has crushed left-handed pitching so far in 2020, managing an absurd three home runs within the split in just 14 at-bats. While that’s surely going to level-off at some point, I’ll take my chances that it won’t be Wednesday with Jung Hyun Baek ($5,700) the LHP in question. Baek’s surrendered 16 earned runs in his 14.0 innings this season.
Value
Kang Nam Yoo, LG vs. SK, $3,700 – It’s nights like this that you wish you could start two catchers. Like Park, the right-handed Yoo can not stop abusing southpaw pitching in 2020. In fact, Yoo comes into this slate batting an insane .529 (10-for-19) with three doubles and three home runs within the split. Tae Hoon Kim ($6,500) best be careful with the 27-year-old.
FIRST BASE
Stud
Hyung Woo Choi, KIA at KTW, $5,700 – There are so, so many reasons why this is a great matchup for Choi. First and foremost, he’ll draw the right-handed Min Kim ($5,500) as KT’s starter. Among the 44 pitchers who have thrown at least 20 innings this season, Kim owns the highest FIP (7.13). After that, Choi will see a bullpen that – coming into the week – sported the league’s worst ERA at a nauseating 7.53. In short, they’re all bad. Choi and his .408 wOBA should be able to take advantage.
Value
Joo Hwan Choi, DOO at NCD, $2,100 – Would I recommend stacking the Bears’ bats against Rucinski? Not really. However, if you’re hurting for some serious salary relief, there’s no argument that Choi’s price tag is way off of what it should be. I mean, how is a guy with a team-leading .243 ISO priced just $100 above the minimum? How does someone who had three hits and 17.0 DKFP on Tuesday find himself $300 cheaper than the day before? None of it makes any sense.
SECOND BASE
Stud
Min Woo Park, NCD vs. DOO, $4,700 – Despite lacking any real power, Park’s been able to score 19-plus DKFP in three of his past eight starts. The secret to his success? Being a contact-oriented hitter atop the KBO’s best lineup. Park comes into Wednesday’s slate batting .322 with 22 runs scored – the ninth-most of any player in the league. If you believe it’s a night the Dinos are going to light up the scoreboard, the stack starts with Park.
Value
Byung Woo Jeon, KIW at SAM, $2,300 – With a few different injuries wrecking havoc on the Heroes’ infield, Jeon has been thrust into action in recent days and the 27-year-old has responded nicely. In a span that’s seen him primarily hit sixth in Kiwoom’s lineup, Jeon’s racked up the stats in his past eight games, with 12 hits, 10 RBI and a pair of home runs. Plus, at the end of the day, he’s just another RHB you can stack against the struggling Baek.
THIRD BASE
Stud
Jeong Choi, SK at LG, $5,000 – It is slim pickings at the top of the third base pricing list on Wednesday, but that doesn’t detract from Choi’s recent success. After a horrendous start to 2020, the veteran has turned things around as of late, with four multi-hit performances and 10 RBI in his past 10 contests. Min Ho Lee ($5,800) has been pitching well this season, yet his high contact rate still makes him a decent arm to attack.
Value
Si Hwan Noh, HAN at LOT, $3,200 – The Eagles re-tooled their entire roster this weekend, which has apparently left Noh as the team’s clean-up hitter. Now, that’s less an endorsement of the 19-year-old than it is the result of Hanwha’s struggles; yet Noh is the lone player on the team with 60-plus plate appearances and an ISO above .200. You could do worse if you were looking to save some money, especially with the struggling Kyung Eun Noh ($6,000) on the mound for Lotte.
SHORTSTOP
Stud
Ha Seong Kim, KIW at SAM, $6,200 – The majority of Kim’s success this season as come against right-handed pitching, but with Baek having allowed 22 opponent hits in his past eight innings of work, I don’t think the 24-year-old will be complaining about the matchup on Wednesday. I’d very much expect Kim to extend his current nine-game hitting streak this evening, likely in a big way.
Value
Ji Hwan Oh, LG vs. SK, $3,100 – Alone, Oh isn’t a very captivating option on Wednesday’s slate; however, if you’re looking to stack against the aforementioned Kim, he’s a cheap addition to the build. Kim’s due for some serious regression, as he’s sporting an unstable .218 BABIP and a massive 13.2% walk rate. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind at all if he issued a free pass to Oh, as the 30-year-old is currently sitting third in the KBO in steals (6).
OUTFIELD
Stud
Preston Tucker, KIA at KTW, $5,800 – As mentioned above, this is a great situation to stack a few of the Tigers’ bats, as the Wiz’s pitching staff has been horrendous as of late. Really, Tucker’s a fine option even in a vacuum, with the import having slashed .320/.381/.598 with a 151 wRC+ in his 134 plate appearances so far in 2020. If you can find the salary, he’ll likely be worth the investment.
Value
Ji Wan Na, KIA at KTW, $3,800 – Na’s been scuffling at the dish as of late, with just two hits in his last 17 at-bats. Still, for the season as a whole, the veteran’s .394 wOBA is the 22nd-highest mark among all qualified position players. Na’s past success in the KBO speaks for itself and the 35-year-old should get back in the groove on Wednesday in a fantastic matchup.
Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is theglt13) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.