Record-breaking hitter nabs KBO's 1st top monthly award of 2026

By Yoo Jee-ho SEOUL, May 11 (Yonhap) -- Powered by his record-breaking hitting streak, SSG Landers leadoff man Park Seong-han has claimed the top player award for the first month of the South Korean baseball season. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) on Monday announced Park as the winner of the Player of the Month for the March-April period -- with the current season having started on March 28. In 27 games during that period, Park led the KBO in batting average (.441), on-base percentage (.543), slugging percentage (.618) and hits (45). He also tied for second for most runs at 24 and fourth for RBIs at 22. Park Seong-han of the SSG Landers hits an RBI single against the NC Dinos during the clubs' Korea Baseball Organization regular-season game at Incheon SSG Landers Field in the western city of Incheon on May 7, 2026. (Yonhap) Park also set a KBO record for the longest hitting streak to start a season with 22 games. He recorded at least a hit in every game from March 28 to April 24, breaking the previous record of 18 games held by former Lotte Giants start Kim Yong-hee during the inaugural KBO season in 1982. Park collected 31 out of 35 votes from the media, and 216,589 out of 420,871 votes from fans -- for the total voting points of 70.02. Kim Do-yeong of the Kia Tigers finished a distant second with 12.49 points. This is Park's first career Player of the Month award and he is the first Landers player to be so honored since Choi Jeong in June 2023. Park will receive 300 million won (US$2,040) in prize money. Shinhan Bank, the official sponsor of the KBO, will donate 200 million won in Park's name to his alma mater, Yeosu Middle School. jeeho@yna.co.kr(END) Articles with issue keywords Most Liked BTS meets Mexican president ahead of concerts in Mexico City N. Korea's revised constitution defines territory, drops unification references N. Korea dials down hostility toward Seoul in revised constitution: NIS (3rd LD) S. Korea says likely to take days to analyze cause of fire on HMM-operated vessel in Strait of Hormuz Trump-Kim meeting 'not currently' scheduled for upcoming Asia trip: White House official Most Saved N. Korea dials down hostility toward Seoul in revised constitution: NIS Trump says, 'I love S. Korea,' after Seoul, Washington sign MOU on shipbuilding cooperation Trump says S. Korean-operated ship 'shot at' by Iran after deciding to 'go it alone' N. Korea's revised constitution defines territory, drops unification references Buddhist sect welcomes humanoid robot Gabi with precept ceremony