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Twins slugger Austin Dean aims to be more than a bat as he excels defensively at first base

Published: 18 Apr. 2026, 10:38

LG Twins's Austin Dean celebrates after hitting a solo home run during a game with the Lotte Giants held at the Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa District, southern Seoul, on April 14. [LG TWINS]

LG Twins first baseman Austin Dean has been one of the premier sluggers in Korean baseball since his arrival in 2023. Over the past three seasons in the KBO, Dean smacked 86 home runs and drove in 322 runs — ranking third and first overall in those categories, respectively, in that span.

And the 32-year-old American is enjoying a fine start to his fourth season in Korea, with a .371/.459/.661 line, five home runs and 12 RBIs through his first 16 games. Dean was in a four-way tie for the KBO lead in homers through Thursday.

Hitting is clearly Dean's calling card, but he doesn't want to be seen as a one-trick pony. He has been a strong defender at first base during his time here, which includes the KBO Fielding Award at the position in 2024.

That he won the award at a position he hadn't played much since high school makes it all the more impressive. The Miami Marlins drafted Dean as an outfielder in 2012, but he was an infielder at Klein Collins High School in Spring, Texas.

"I was an All-American at first base, but the only reason I was over there is that we had guys that just couldn't fill the position in high school," Dean recalled with a smile during an interview with Yonhap News Agency on Thursday at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Songpa District, southern Seoul. "So I went from third to second to first, learned how to play all positions."

Dean spent most of his time in the majors and the minors playing the two corner outfield positions, but found himself at first base again with the Twins. He made a brief cameo in right field in 2023 but has not played a position other than first base since then.

While first base may be the position where teams hide defensively challenged players just to keep their bats in the lineup, Dean said he takes his defense seriously.

"One thing that I do like and I do take pride in is trying to get better defensively," he said. "And I have a lot of respect for our defensive coach for really helping me and just getting me better every single day. He challenges me a lot and we're always constantly talking ways of getting better and a lot of hats off to him for that."

Before the weekend's action, Dean was one of just two first basemen who had logged at least 100 innings without making an error.

He could be in line for his second career Fielding Award this season, but Dean insisted his primary goal is to help the Twins defend their Korean Series title and win their third championship in four seasons.

"In the back of your head, you want to win all the awards. It's not something I'm sitting there putting on my dream board of things," he said. "The only thing that's on there right now is winning the Korean Series. And I have to do my part to be prepared every single day to go out and play and help the team win. And defense is a part of that. Hitting is a part of that. And just overall being a team player is probably the biggest concept for that.

"I take pride in everything I do. I'm trying to work my butt off and would be a really good example for the younger guys that are going to come and take my place in the near future," Dean continued. "And hopefully, I set a good example that when they do take over that this team is still successful whenever I'm done."

It can be difficult for a foreign player to become a clubhouse leader in the KBO. There's the obvious language barrier, and most foreign players don't stick around long enough to truly establish themselves in their teams' leadership groups.

Dean, who has been in the KBO longer than any other active foreign-born position player, said he is growing more comfortable as a leader around Korean teammates.

"I do have really good relationships with a lot of the younger guys, and I do talk to them quite often," he said. "When they're struggling, just letting them know, 'Hey, I've been in your shoes. I know exactly what you're feeling like. It's going to be okay, just keep doing what you're doing, don't change your routine and just stay confident in yourself.' And that's mainly what it is.

"A lot of them come up and ask me questions, too, and we'll talk," Dean added. "We're all constantly talking and finding ways to get better. I've learned a lot from my teammates throughout the years and I hope I've at least have taught them something that has helped, too, from just the experience that I've had in baseball."

Yonhap