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With the MLB regular season still a few weeks away, we don’t have to wait 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. Saturday’s five-game KBO main slate locks at 5:00 am ET. Let’s break down some targets and values.
Set your lineups here: KBO $25K Relay Throw [$5K to 1st] (Korean Baseball)
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PITCHER
Stud
Aaron Brooks, KIA vs. KIW, $9,000 - There’s no pitcher on the slate averaging 20 DKFP, but Brooks is clearly the safest arm to roster. He’s scored at least 18 DKFP in six straight starts, and 22-plus in four of his past five. In two starts against KIW this season, Brooks is averaging 21.2 DKFP. Without any standout options, I’ll take what looks like the closest to a sure thing on the slate.
Value
Jin Wook Kim, HAN vs. SK, $4,000 - Kim is making a spot start here in place of the injured Chad Bell. He’s pitched just 6 2⁄3 innings in his career in KBO, so it’s not like he’s going to come in and have a monster game, but he’s also cheaper than most hitters you’ll be rostering. Just give a few solid innings against one of the worst offenses in KBO and payoff his salary plus more.
CATCHER
Stud
NONE - I usually get cute and write up a mid-priced catcher that could potentially have some value, but I’d rather just address the position as I’ll actually be treating it on the slate. There’s no reason to pay over $4,000 (and certainly not $5,700) for one of these top catchers that produce nowhere near other key positions but are priced the same.
Value
Ji Young Lee, KIW at KIA, $2,300 - Lee is producing numbers just shy of the top catchers and comes at less than half the price. He consistently puts some points on the board, averaging 7.0 DKFP over his past 10. Even more impressive, Lee’s averaging 10.5 DKFP in this matchup against KIA this season.
FIRST BASE
Stud
Jae Il Oh, DOO at LOT, $4,600 - I also considered Jae Hwan Kim ($5,500) here, as both are in identical situations, but ultimately prefer the savings on Oh. Both are lefty bats in an opposite-hand matchup, but the situation has been great for Doosan bats against the Giants and on the road. Oh averages 12.5 DKFP on the road and 12.6 DKFP against the Giants. Kim has similar numbers in the same spots.
Value
Joo Hwan Choi, DOO at LOT, $3,900 - Choi’s salary continues to climb, but he’s still underpriced. Like the rest of the Bears, he’s been significantly improved on the road, where he averages 10.1 DKFP. Choi is 1B/2B eligible, so he gives you some flexibility for a Doosan stack.
SECOND BASE
Stud
Keon Chang Seo, KIW at KIA, $4,400 - Seo is another 1B/2B option that’s just been red hot lately. He’s averaging 12.3 DKFP over his past 10 games, while hitting just one home run in that span. He has three different games in his past eight with at least 18 DKFP without going deep, which is pretty tough to do, but shows just how much damage he’s doing. Seo is also averaging 12.6 DKFP in seven matchups against KIA this season.
Value
Chi Hong An, LOT vs. DOO, $3,300 - An’s been a solid value, averaging 7.3 DKFP at a fair price. But Doosan can get involved in some pretty high-scoring games on the road and An’s played very well against the Bears. I’ll chase him in this matchup, averaging 11.6 DKFP against the Bears this season.
THIRD BASE
Stud
Kyoung Min Hur, DOO at LOT, $4,400 - Third base is generally a position I punt on and Hur has been that punt play for a while. His strong play for the Bears has brought his salary up significantly, but at a weak position, I’ll now consider Kur as a stud play. Hur is averaging 11.4 DKFP over his past nine contests.
Value
Dong Hee Han, LOT vs. DOO, $2,500 - Where did this guy come from? He was barely even averaging 5.0 DKFP on the season, but Han has been a force for the Giants recently. He’s cracked five homers in his past 10 games, a span in which he’s averaging 11.6 DKFP. Three of those homers have come in Han’s past two games, totaling 52 DKFP in those contests combined. We can afford a total bust here at the price, but the upside has been elite of late.
SHORTSTOP
Stud
Ha Seong Kim, KIW at KIA, $5,600 - Kim is Mr. Consistent at the SS position. He’s averaging 10.6 DKFP and his splits are nearly identical across the board. He does have to face Brooks, but this is the type of hitter who can get his production off anybody. Not much to think about here.
Value
Woo Jun Sim, KTW vs. SAM, $3,300 - Sim has had a bit of a hot bat lately, averaging 8.2 DKFP over his past 10. He has a solid matchup against SAM, a team he’s averaging 10.6 DKFP against this season.
OUTFIELD
Stud
Aaron Altherr, NCD at LG, $5,500 - Picking between Altherr and Mel Rojas Jr. ($6,300), is impossible, so as usual, I’ll opt for the cheaper play. Altherr’s found his stride for the Dinos, putting up a .308/15/52 line on the season. He’s averaging 13.6 DKFP over his past 10 and brings 30-DKFP upside into any matchup. Rojas is nearly as hot at the dish, so I’ll try to find a way to make sure both are in my OF.
Value
Jeong Dae Bae, KTW vs. SAM, 3,300 - Bae’s averaging 9.2 DKFP this season on a .336/6/28 line, which makes no sense at this price. He averages 10.8 DKFP at home, 12.9 DKFP over his past nine and 11.9 DKFP against SAM this season. Bae feels like a strong value play without any holes. Hee Dong Kwon ($2,900) is also a remarkably underpriced target.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is jedlow) 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.