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KBO to hand out MVP, top rookie awards on Monday

Published: 19 Nov. 2025, 14:52 Updated: 19 Nov. 2025, 16:24

Hanwha Eagles starter Cody Ponce celebrates after striking out Moon Bo-gyeong of the LG Twins during Game 3 of the Korean Series at Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark in the central city of Daejeon, on Oct. 29. [YONHAP]

The Korean baseball league will present its regular season MVP award and the top rookie prize during an annual ceremony next week.

The league said Wednesday the 2025 KBO Awards ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. Monday at Lotte Hotel World in Songpa District, southern Seoul.

The KBO announced 18 candidates for the MVP award on Oct. 5, with leaders of major pitching and hitting categories earning automatic nominations.

The battle for the MVP honor is widely viewed as a two-horse race between Hanwha Eagles ace Cody Ponce, the pitching Triple Crown winner, and Samsung Lions first baseman Lewin Diaz, who topped the league in home runs, RBIs, slugging percentage and on-base plus slugging (OPS).

Ponce led the KBO with 17 wins, a 1.89 ERA and a league-record 252 strikeouts. The American right-hander also established a new mark for the most consecutive wins by a pitcher from the start of a season with 17, while losing just one decision for a league-best winning percentage of .944.

Diaz led all hitters with 50 home runs ― the most ever by a foreign-born player in league history ― and set the KBO record with 158 RBIs. He also finished first in the league with a .644 slugging percentage and a 1.025 OPS.

The MVP winner will receive a trophy and a Kia EV6 vehicle.

For the top rookie prize, players who entered the KBO this year or those who joined the league within the past five years and not accumulated 30 innings pitched or 60 plate appearances were eligible.

KT Wiz outfielder Ahn Hyun-min will likely be the runaway winner. He led all rookies with 22 home runs and 80 RBIs, while ranking first overall in on-base percentage (.448), second in batting average (.334) and OPS (1.018), and third in slugging percentage (.570).

Ahn was one of three players to finish with at least a .300 batting average, a .400 on-base percentage, and a .500 slugging percentage.

The top rookie will be presented with a trophy and 3 million won ($2,045) in prize money.

Yonhap